Living the Business
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Living the Business By Mike Curb With Don Cusic Copyright © 2017 by Curb Recording Group, Inc. Original photography copyright © 2017 by Curb Recording Group, Inc. Text copyright © 2017 by Curb Recording Group, Inc. ISBN 978-0-9990395-1-9 All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the copyright holder, except in brief quotations or approved images used in a review. Brackish Publishing P.O. Box 120751 Nashville, TN 37212 Production Coordinator Jim Sharp Sharp Management Cover and Interior Layout Design www.PricelessDigitalMedia.com Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................... 9 LIVING THE BUSINESS: 50 Years as an Entrepreneur in the Music Business by Mike Curb ................. 13 CHAPTER 1: Te Early Years ........................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 2: Early Music Infuences .............................................................. 25 CHAPTER 3: First Steps in the Music Industry ............................................. 33 Te Mike Curb Congregation, Crickets, Buddies, Bobby Darin, Hondells (composing the commercial You Meet Te Nicest People On A Honda) CHAPTER 4: Soundtracks ................................................................................ 49 Composing Movies Temes: SkaterDater, Wild Angels (“Blues’ Teme”) Composing TV Temes: Cattanooga Cats and Hot Wheels Composing Commercials: On Te Move With Chevrolet CHAPTER 5: Eddie Ray and My First Record Label ..................................... 57 Arrows (featuring Davie Allan), Stone Poneys (featuring Linda Ronstadt), Electric Flag (featuring Mike Bloomfeld and Buddy Miles) CHAPTER 6: Building Amazing Future Relationships ................................. 63 Casey Kasem Composing the “American Bandstand Teme” Dick Clark Co-mastering Pink Floyd Producing Savage Seven Soundtrack (Cream, Eric Clapton and Iron Butterfy) Building Early Relationships with Future Curb Recording Artists Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and Sonny James CHAPTER 7: On TV with Glen Campbell ..................................................... 79 CHAPTER 8: MGM/Curb and Te Osmonds ................................................ 81 Producing Donny and Marie, Writing and Producing Roy Orbison Signing Eric Burdon and War, Tompall and Te Glaser Brothers, Chicago Transit Authority Strawberry Statement Soundtrack (Crosby Stills, Nash & Young) Te Relationship with Bob Lifon Te Relationship with Karen Carpenter CHAPTER 9: Te MGM/Curb Merger ........................................................... 97 Composing “Burning Bridges” for the Clint Eastwood Movie Kelly’s Heroes Composing the Music for Frank Sinatra’s Dirty Dingus Magee Composing the Music for Liza Minelli’s Emmy Award Winning Liza With A Z (“It Was A Good Time”) Producing Steve & Eydie, Andy Williams, Sammy Davis Jr. (“Candy Man”) and “It’s A Small World” for Disney with Te Mike Curb Congregation CHAPTER 10: Te MGM/Verve Years .......................................................... 105 Eric Burdon and War, Sylvers, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr., Shaf, Gloria Gaynor, Solomon Burke, Neil Sedaka, Richie Havens, Lou Rawls, Johnny Bristol and Te Five Man Electrical Band CHAPTER 11: Early Hits In Country ............................................................ 111 Composing and Producing Hank Williams Jr.’s First #1 Record, “All For Te Love Of Sunshine” Producing Eddy Arnold, Signing Mel Tillis, Kenny Rogers, Billy Walker, Don Gibson and Ray Stevens CHAPTER 12: Producing Recordings ........................................................... 121 Billboard Producer of the Year CHAPTER 13: Analyzing the Music Business .............................................. 129 Te Importance of the Infuence of R&B and Rock & Roll Distributing Historic Sun Records CHAPTER 14: Te Music Business Lifestyle ................................................ 135 CHAPTER 15: Warner Curb ........................................................................... 139 Five Consecutive #1 Pop Hits, Te Four Seasons, Bellamy Brothers, Shaun Cassidy, Debby Boone, Exile, Foreigner, T.G. Sheppard and Berry Gordy Jr. CHAPTER 16: Marriage to Linda Dunphy Curb ......................................... 145 CHAPTER 17: Government ............................................................................ 149 Elected Lt. Governor of California and President of Te Senate Elected National Chairman of all Lieutenant Governors CHAPTER 18: Acting Governor of California ............................................. 159 At the time California’s economy was equivalent in size to the seventh largest country in the world. Co-Chairman of the Reagan for President Campaign and Chairman of the National Convention Program President Reagan and Motorsports Richard Petty’s Historic 200th Victory at Daytona Winning Dale Earnhardt’s First Championship Winning Two Historic Indianapolis 500 Races CHAPTER 19: Going to Washington with President Ronald Reagan ...... 169 Curb Serving as Chairman of the Presidential Trust, Chairman of the NRFC, Trade Negotiations Board and National USO Board CHAPTER 20: Back in the Music Business and Te Judds ........................ 181 Dick Whitehouse: 35 Incredible Years CHAPTER 21: Hits and Soundtracks ............................................................ 197 Righteous Brothers, Bill Medley, Dirty Dancing, Coyote Ugly, Real Life and Maureen McGovern CHAPTER 22: Contemporary Country ........................................................ 209 Lyle Lovett, Sawyer Brown, Hal Ketchum, Wynonna, Wayne Newton, Junior Brown, Gene Watson, Beat Farmers, Ronnie McDowell, Jefrey Steele and Shane McAnally CHAPTER 23: Contemporary Christian Music ........................................... 219 Larry Norman, Second Chapter of Acts, DeGarmo and Key, Debby Boone, Selah, Michael English, Jonathan Pierce, Patty Cabrera, Fernando Ortega, Whiteheart, Plumb, MercyMe, OBB and Natalie Grant, Acquisition of Word Records (for KING & COUNTRY, Francesca Battistelli and Big Daddy Weave) CHAPTER 24: From Los Angeles to Nashville and Tim McGraw ............ 227 CHAPTER 25: LeAnn Rimes .......................................................................... 237 CHAPTER 26: Jo Dee Messina ....................................................................... 253 CHAPTER 27: Inside a Record Company .................................................... 261 CHAPTER 28: Te Future ............................................................................... 275 CHAPTER 29: Te Business ........................................................................... 289 CHAPTER 30: Motivation .............................................................................. 299 CHAPTER 31: Te Accident ........................................................................... 311 CHAPTER 32: Word Records ......................................................................... 321 CHAPTER 33: Curb Records – Billboard Christian Imprint Of Te Year ......327 “God Bless Te U.S.A.,” “Tree Wooden Crosses” and “I Can Only Imagine” CHAPTER 34: Problems in the Music Business .......................................... 333 CHAPTER 35: Curb in the 21st Century ...................................................... 341 Rodney Atkins, Steve Holy, Hank Williams Jr., Tim McGraw, LeAnn Rimes, Wynonna, Jerrod Niemann, Mo Pitney, Clay Walker, Kimberley Locke, OBB, Natalie Grant, Lee Brice, Dylan Scott and for KING & COUNTRY CHAPTER 36: Curb Records .......................................................................... 353 First Independent Company to Become Billboard Label Of Te Year Te Importance of Five-Year Plans CHAPTER 37: Listening .................................................................................. 363 CHAPTER 38: Challenges ............................................................................... 367 CHAPTER 39: Circles ...................................................................................... 375 CHAPTER 40: Te Mike Curb Family Foundation ..................................... 379 ***Five Honorary Doctorates ***National Business Hall of Fame and Musicians Hall of Fame ***Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Nashville Music City Walk of Fame QUOTES ............................................................................................................ 403 To see a gallery of photos related to this book, please visit: Family Photographs: http://www.mikecurb.com/book/LTB/Family/ Music Business Photographs: http://www.mikecurb.com/book/LTB/MusicBusiness/ Motorsports Photographs: http://www.mikecurb.com/book/LTB/Motorsports/ Public Service Photographs: http://www.mikecurb.com/book/LTB/PublicService/ Foundation Photographs: http://www.mikecurb.com/book/LTB/Foundation/ Introduction Several years ago, Don Cusic, who holds the History Professorship at the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, began research and interviews for a book that would present the story of Curb Records to the students attending Curb Colleges at universities across the country. During Curb Records’ 50th Anniversary, we were fortunate to have Grandin Hood, Publishers, led by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Robin Hood undertake publication of our story. His creative team, including Randy Powers, Jay Sheridan, and the designers at Robertson Design, brought creative energy and focus to Don’s