Wexler Record Exec of Year Shelby Singleton Forms NEW YORK - Jerry Wexler, and grateful at being voted Vice President of Atlantic Rec- Record Executive Of The ords, was named Record Execu- Year," said Wexler when noti- Production Company tive of the Year in the annual fied of the award. "It is an NEW YORK-Shelby Single- poll conducted by Bill Gavin's honor I will long treasure." ton has made known his future weekly Record Report. Wexler The past year has been a plans with the announcement was voted the honor by the very busy one for Atlantic- of the formation of Shelby nation's disk jockeys and the which had its greatest year in Singleton Productions, Inc., and editors of the Gavin Report. 1966-and a very busy one for the opening of offices at 1650 "I am pleasantly surprised Vice President Wexler. Broadway. Singleton, until his resignation from Mercury Rec- ords earlier this month, had Muntz, Merc Pact been VP of the A&R Division of Beach Boys' the Chicago based, multi-label CHICAGO - Mercury Record Mercury operation. Corp. President Irving B. Green The young veteran A&R exec and Muntz Stereo Pak President 3 Gold Disks detailed his new venture as a Earl Muntz announce a resump- FARENW"ELL FETE-Pictured at production company dedicated recent Mercury Studios, New York, tion of the non-exclusive con- HOLLYWOOD-Capitol Rec- disks ords climaxed one of the big- to producing quality for party for Shelby Singleton, con- tract wherein Muntz has the various labels. It is designed to right to reproduce, manufacture gest calendar years in its cluding nine-year tenure as VP, have recordings created by staff A&R, are Shelby (left) and Rec- and distribute 4 track fidelipac history last week with gold rec- certification producers as well as by a vari- ord World publisher Bob Austin. cartridge tapes in the U.S. only. ord for the Beach Affair-attended by many Boys' ety of independent producers long- Contract covers a one year single, "Good Vibra- throughout the country working time friends of Singleton's-also period beginning Jan. 1, 1967. tions," plus two other gold disk saw Shelby presented with a gold awards for a pair of Beach Boy on assignment or via master Mercury's previous pact with purchase acquisitions to fulfill record inscribed with signatures Muntz lapsed Feb. 28. 1966. Albums, "Little Deuce Coupe" of all Mercury Corp. personnel. and "Shut Down, Volume 2." committments to several labels "Good Vibrations" is the first who will avail themselves of Singleton's services. ager and by 1959 had trans- Pickwick Vallee million -selling single the Beach fered his activity to the A&R Boys have had. The award for All negotiations are being Division, operating out of the LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y.- the albums brings their total handled through Marshall and company's Nashville studios. Rudy Vallee recordings of "My number of gold records to eight Vigoda, attorneys at 130 West Moving to New York, he was Time Is Your Time," "I'm Just (for albums). 57th St., who are representing named a Vice President in No- a Vagabond Lover," "Maine "Gallant Men," the historical Singleton. Thus far, several vember 1962 and administered Stein Song," "Betty Co -Ed," documentary album by Senator deals have been concluded and much of the company's record- "Let's Do It," "Mad Dogs And Everett Dirksen, could make several additional pacts are in ing program until his departure Englishmen," "Vieni, Vieni" the year even bigger should it negotiation. last month. and "The Pig Got Up and pass the $1 million mark next Joining Singleton are Joe Slowly Walked Away" are be- week. Latest count showed the Venerri, formerly a member of Proud of Current Hits ing re -issued in a new Pick- Legislator's LP soaring past the the Tokens singing group, an Singleton reflected pride in wick/33 LP now being rushed 400,000 mark and rapidly head- arranger, producer, writer and the current crop of chart rec- out titled "The Greatest Vo -De - ing towards a half -million sales musician; Billy Carl, lead ords among the Mercury group Oh -Doh Of All Time." and a gold record. Should Dirk - singer with Billy & The Essen- of labels for which he assumes sen earn the gold disk it may be tials and an arranger, producer responsibility. Among them: presented to him during his and writer; and Judy Dion who "Love Me" by Bobby Hebb; Dee Senator Smash forthcoming appearance on the will handle office administra- Dee Warwick's "I'm Gonna "Hollywood Palace" (Jan. 14). tion and public relations ac- Make You Love Me," "98.6" by Both the Senator and the Beach tivity. Keith and the Blues Magoos' Boys also have new albums "We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet" as scheduled. The Beach Boys' Will Have Label well as their fast -rising LP, "Smile," which contains "Good Plans include a label, Single- "Psychedelic Lollipop." Added Vibrations," is due out in Jan- ton added, to be distributed by to these, he noted are C&W uary, and the Senator's next another major label not yet chart records by Roy Drusky, LP is tentatively scheduled for selected. Stressing his own Dave Dudley and Faron Young spring. varied background in A&R ac- and up and coming disks such tivity, he said, "This company as Little Frankie's "I Wanna Hot Singles will differ from other independ- Marry You" and "Lay Down In addition to the "Gold" can- ent operations, producing qual- Your Arms" by Grady Lloyd. didates, Capitol is also closing ity, not quantity. Anyone fami- As an adjunct to his New out 1966 with some of the hot- liar with my past history as a York offices, Singleton will also test singles in its history on the producer will attest to that." maintain offices in Nashville. charts. Right behind "Good Vi- His plans also envision creat- brations" are Peter & Gordon's ing LP ideas and projects for a Secretary Vivian Hagen records number of labels to be mer- WB Deal the 300,000th order for Cameo/ "Lady Godiva" and the duo's -Anro Parkway's smash "Wild Thing" by new single, "Knight in Rusty chandised both generally and BURBANK, CALIF. -- Joe "Senator Bobby" just 10 days after Armour"; the Seekers' "Georgy as premiums. Smith, VP and General Mana- release. Sales Manager Neil Bo- Girl"; "Help Me Girl" by the Singleton's nine-year, hit- ger of Warner Bros. Records, gart, on phone, relays the news. Outsiders; the "Gallant Men" filled tenure with Mercury announced that negotiations In the back row, from left, are single, and Lou Rawls' "You began in 1957 when he joined have been completed between Chip Taylor, writer of "Wild Can Bring Me All Your Heart- that firm as a local promotion Warner Bros. Records and Anro Thing," co -producer of the Hardly - aches." manager at his original home Productions for an exclusive Worthit Report LP and the "Sena- Bolstering the single in Shreveport, Louisiana fol- tor Bobby" single; Bogart; Na- current independent production pact. tional Promotion Manager Cecil chart items is Capitol's Dec. lowing service with the U. S. The principals of Arno Pro- Holmes and Taylor's co -producer 27 album release which in- Marines in Korea. He advanced ductions, Anita Kerr and Rod Dennis Wholey. Regional Promo cludes new albums by Rawls, rapidly within the organization, McKuen, will be responsible for Manager Marty Thau is kneeling Nancy Wilson, the Lettermen succeeding to the post of producing the San Sebastian and pointing to the sales sheet. and Buck Owens. Southern Regional Sales Man- Strings. RECORD WORLD-January 7, 1967 3 www.americanradiohistory.comAmericanRadioHistory.Com RCA Ups Hendrickson, Decca Lucky with 13 LPs Mulligan in Customs Set for January Release J. W. Hendrickson and W. A. of The year 1966 found Decca Mulligan have been promoted to Decca Records, a division MCA, Inc., having closed out represented in over 25% of the new positions in the Custom best-selling single and album Records Marketing oragniza- 1966 with sales resulting in the most successful year in the charts consistently. A special tion by the RCA Victor Record Decca of the January re- Division. company's history, the highlight 10 lease schedule is two country Announcement by and Coral labels announce was made popular and three classical al- packages. In a new Decca LP, R. C. Williams, Manager, Cus- bums as their first releases of titled "Two For the Show," the tom Records Marketing, who the theme Wilburn Brothers showcase a said the appointments are effec- John William the new year. Under Hendrickson Mulligan of "Coming on Strong in '67," collection of a dozen country tive immediately. own became a Sergeant Major in the this January release offers a favorites, including their Hendrickson, formerly Mana- combination of pop single hit, "Hurt Her Once For .ger, New York Army and was decorated with a diversified Personnel, City, designed Me." assumes the position of Mana- Bronze Star for meritorious ac- and classical product ger, Marketing Administration tion at Anzio Beachhead, he to appeal to a large and varied Many of the great names and Planning; Mulligan, for- returned to that position. In audience of record buyers. from the Decca roster of coun- merly Manager, Custom Sales 1951, he was transferred to the The new popular product try stars are included in a new Planning and Service, becomes RCA Executive Offices as a consists of Jan Garber and His set honoring the "1966 Country Manager, Special Custom Proj- Personnel Administrator. In Orchestra with a set of Broad- And Western Award Winners." ects.