| Description |
435 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 407-416), discography (pages 367-401) and index. |
| Summary |
Songwriter and record producer Bert Berns' meteoric career was fueled by his pending doom. His heart damaged by rheumatic fever as a youth, Berns was not expected to live to see 21. Although his name is little remembered today, Berns went from nobody to the top of the pops, producer of monumental r&b classics, songwriter of "Twist and Shout," "My Girl Sloopy," "Piece of My Heart," and others. His fury to succeed led Berns to use his Mafia associations to muscle Atlantic Records out of their partnership and intimidate new talents whom he had signed to his record label. Berns died at age 38 just when he was seeing his grandest plans frustrated and foiled. |
| Contents |
Bronx (1950) + Havana (1958) -- Washington, DC (1947) -- New York City (1955) -- 1650 Broadway (1959) -- Atlantic Records (1955-60) -- A little bit of soap (1961) -- Brill Building (1961) -- Cry to me (1962) -- If I didn't have a dime (to play the jukebox) (1962) -- On Broadway (1963) -- Cry baby (1963) -- Twist and shout (1963) -- My girl Sloopy (1964) -- Here comes the night (1964) -- Hang on Sloopy (1965) -- Half as much (1965) -- I'll take you where the music's playing (1965) -- Up in the streets of Harlem (1966) -- Are you lonely for me baby (1966) -- I got to go back (1966) -- Heart be still (1967) -- Piece of my heart (1967). |
| Subject |
Berns, Bert.
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Sound recording executives and producers -- United States -- Biography.
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Rhythm and blues music -- New York (State) -- New York -- History and criticism.
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| ISBN |
9781619023024 (hbk.) |
|
1619023024 (hbk.) |
|
9781619025417 (pbk.) |
|
1619025418 (pbk.) |
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