http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0779q1nw No online items Finding Aid for the A&M Records records PASC-M.0269 Finding aid prepared by UCLA Library Special Collections staff, 2008. Finding aid revised by Melissa Haley, 2017. UCLA Library Special Collections Online finding aid last updated 2019 August 5. Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library Box 951575 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575 [email protected] URL: https://www.library.ucla.edu/special-collections Finding Aid for the A&M Records PASC-M.0269 1 records PASC-M.0269 Language of Material: English Contributing Institution: UCLA Library Special Collections Title: A&M Records records Creator: A & M Records (Firm) Identifier/Call Number: PASC-M.0269 Physical Description: 98 Linear Feet(196 boxes) Date (inclusive): 1959-2001 Abstract: The collection consists of sound recordings, manuscript musical arrangements, photographs, correspondence, promotional materials, posters, gold albums, awards, books, and ephemera from just prior to the founding of A & M Records in 1962 to a few years after its sale to Polygram in 1989, while Jerry Moss and Herb Alpert were still affiliated with the label. Portions of the collection stored off-site. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page. Conditions Governing Access Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page. Portions of collection unprocessed and currently undescribed. Please contact Special Collections reference ([email protected]) for more information. Immediate Source of Acquisition Gift of Jerry Moss and Herb Alpert, March 2005. Arrangement The collection has been arranged into the following series: Series 1: Correspondence, 1959-1992 Series 2: Production records, 1965-1988 Series 3: Business records, 1961-2001 Series 4: Photographs, 1960s-1980s Series 5: Music Series 6: Artwork Series 7: Posters Series 8: Clippings Series 9: Awards Series 10: Ephemera and artifacts Series 11: Clothing Series 12: Sound recordings Series 13: Video recordings Biographical History Founded in 1962 in Los Angeles, California by Jerry Moss and Herb Alpert, A&M Records became America's largest independent record company. Both men were born in 1935, Alpert in Los Angeles and Moss in New York. The two met in the early 1960s, when Alpert was writing and recording songs and Moss was an independent record promoter. Their social acquaintance quickly became a partnership when in 1962 the two formed Carnival Records, based in Alpert's garage. With contributions of $100 from each man, the company released the single "Tell It to the Birds." After discovering later that year that the Carnival name was already in use, Alpert and Moss created the company's new name from the initials of their last names. A&M Records' first release, the single "The Lonely Bull" by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, came out in August 1962. It reached number six on the Billboard charts and sold some 700,000 copies. Other best-selling Tijuana Brass albums followed, including "Whipped Cream and Other Delights" and "What Now My Love." Led by the success of the Tijuana Brass, A&M revenue topped $50 million by 1968; by the end of the decade the band had sold some 45 million albums. A&M's roster featured many of the top pop and rock acts from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, including Bryan Adams, Burt Bacharach, Joan Baez, the Baja Marimba Band, the Captain and Tennille, the Carpenters, Cheech and Chong, Joe Cocker, Peter Frampton, Lani Hall, Janet Jackson, Joe Jackson, Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, the Neville Brothers, Jeffrey Osborne, the Police, Squeeze, Cat Stevens, Sting, Styx, Supertramp, and the Tubes, among many others. A number of jazz Finding Aid for the A&M Records PASC-M.0269 2 records PASC-M.0269 composers and performers were also issued by the label, including Gato Barbieri, Quincy Jones and Paul Winter as well as some late recordings by Chet Baker and Stan Getz. In 1989 Alpert and Moss sold A&M records to PolyGram Records. UCLA Catalog Record ID UCLA Catalog Record ID: 5152179 . Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements CONTAINS UNPROCESSED AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS: Materials will require assessment and may need further processing for safe access. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], A&M Records records (Collection Number PASC-M 269). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA. Processing Information This collection was partially reprocessed 2016-2017 by Melissa Haley. Series 1 - 4 are new arrangements of correspondence, business and production records, and photographs. Clothing (Series 11) was processed in 2017 by Melissa Haley. Scope and Content The collection includes commercial and non-commercial sound recordings, commercial and non-commercial video recordings, manuscript musical arrangements, photographs, correspondence, promotional materials, posters, gold albums, awards, books, and ephemera from just prior to the company's founding in 1962 to a few years after its sale to Polygram in 1989, while Moss and Alpert were still affiliated with the label. The sound recordings include vinyl records (33 1/3, 45, 78 rpm) audiocassettes, 8-tracks, CDs. The video recordings include VHSs. Conditions Governing Use Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright Subjects and Indexing Terms Sound recording industry -- United States -- Archives. Alpert, Herb Moss, Jerry A & M Records (Firm) -- Archives Correspondence Series 1. 1959-1992 Scope and Content Herb Alpert's letters received primarily concern his events and performances with the Tijuana Brass; also Alpert's charitable activities, some fan letters, congratulatory telegrams, and thank yous. A few letters or telegrams are from other musicians. The bulk of Alpert's letters sent are copies of thank you letters, most with original letters received attached. Jerry Moss's correspondence mostly deals with A&M artists and the label's business activities, including with affiliates and divisions. Gil Friesen's correspondence, president of A&M from 1977-1990, concerns A&M's business, especially legal matters, and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass television specials. Sal Monte's letters, road manager for Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, detail travel and tour arrangements for the band. box 1, box 2, Alpert, Herb--received 1959-1989 (bulk 1960s), undated folder 1 Scope and Content Includes two letters from Chet Baker, November 12, 1968 (postmark date) and April 29, 1969 (both in box 1). box 2, folder 2-5 Alpert, Herb--sent 1966-1990, undated Finding Aid for the A&M Records PASC-M.0269 3 records PASC-M.0269 Correspondence Series 1. 1959-1992 box 2, folder 6-12, Moss, Jerry--received 1965-1992, undated box 3, box 4, box 5, folder 1-3 box 5, folder 4-10, Moss, Jerry--sent 1966-1990, undated box 6, folder 1-5 box 6, folder 6-9, Friesen, Gil--received 1966-1989, undated box 7, folder 1-2 box 7, folder 3-5 Friesen, Gil--sent 1965-1969, undated box 7, folder 6-7 Monte, Sal--received 1966-1975, undated box 7, folder 8-9 Monte, Sal--sent 1966-1975, undated box 7, folder 10 Blair, Wynell 1966-1968, undated box 7, folder 11 Cooper, Paul 1967-1969 box 8, folder 1 Fead, Bob 1966-1969, undated box 8, folder 2 Graham, Don 1966-1969 box 8, folder 3 Green, Derek 1978-1980 box 8, folder 4 Hubert, David 1969-1975 box 8, folder 5 Li Puma, Tommy 1966, undated box 8, folder 6 Ross, Carol--received 1966-1970, undated box 8, folder 7 Ross, Carol--sent 1966-1968, undated box 8, folder 8 A & R Department 1965-1966, undated box 8, folder 9 General correspondence 1964-1986, undated Scope and Content Includes letters to other staff, to A & M Records generally, or unknown recipients. box 8, folder 10 Staff memos 1966-1990, undated box 167 Herb Alpert framed correspondence 1968 Scope and Content Framed telegrams and other items from Hubert Humphrey, Mace Neufeld, and the White House. box 168 Herb Alpert birthday cards Production records Series 2. 1965-1988 Tours and concerts Subseries 1. 1965-1980s Scope and Content The bulk of this series consists of tour itineraries for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass; also present are forms, receipts, equipment lists, and seating charts. In addition, there are two folders of pre-prepared stage banter for the group. A small amount of tour material is present for the Baja Marimba Band, Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, and a few other A&M artists. Material is most likely from the files of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass's Road Manager Sal Monte or Assistant Road Manager Bill Earl. See also Sal Monte's correspondence in box 7 for additional tour-related material. box 8, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass 1965-1970s, undated folder 11-12, box 9, folder 1-5 box 9, folder 6-7 Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass: stage banter undated box 9, folder 8 Herb Alpert: Public relations tour and other travel/publicity (Bill Earl file) 1980s box 9, folder 9 Baja Marimba Band / Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 1966-1969, undated box 10, folder 1 Other groups / unknown 1968-1985, undated box 10, folder 2-3 Notes and ephemera 1969, undated Finding Aid for the A&M Records PASC-M.0269 4 records PASC-M.0269 Production records Series 2.