Godfather of the Music Business by Richard Carlin
Tells the story of one of the most notorious figures in the history of popular music, Morris Levy (1927-1990). At age nineteen, he cofounded the nightclub Birdland in Hell's Kitchen, which became the home for a new musical style, bebop. In 1957, he founded a record label, Roulette Records. Roulette featured many of the significant jazz artists who played Birdland but also scored top pop hits.
One of Steven van Zandt’s picks for his ten favorite music books of 2016
""[A] colorful account of that sinister svengali, Morris Levy. . . Carlin’s concise narrative successfully arcs Levy’s rags to riches rise."" - Mike Jurkovic, Elmore
""Scrupulously even-handed, Carlin eschews the sensational in favor of sober business history, meticulously detailing key aspects of Levy’s forty-year career."" - Jonathan Karp, Jewish Review of Books
""Four stars. Richard Carlin’s brilliant research digs up intriguing stories. . . . Totally fascinating."" - Fred Dellar, Mojo
""Richard Carlin has written an eye-opening, behind-the-scenes study of jazz and popular music through the fascinating (and checkered) career of Morris Levy. Digging deep into a variety of sources, Carlin has added fascinating, often highly personal, details to the history of popular music during the latter half of the twentieth century. This is a messy and revealing story, with an assortment of criminal types and sprinkled with many interesting photos."" - Ronald D. Cohen, editor of Alan Lomax, Assistant in Charge: The Library of Congress Letters, 1935–1945, published by University Press of Mississippi
""The FBI always figured Morris Levy was the front man for the syndicate in the record business. This beloved, feared music man finally gets the epic biography he deserves in Richard Carlin’s fascinating Godfather of the Music Business."" - Joel Selvin, author of Here Comes the Night: The Dark Soul of Bert Berns and the Dirty Business of Rhythm and Blues
""[A] colorful account of that sinister svengali, Morris Levy. . . Carlin’s concise narrative successfully arcs Levy’s rags to riches rise."" - Mike Jurkovic, Elmore
""Scrupulously even-handed, Carlin eschews the sensational in favor of sober business history, meticulously detailing key aspects of Levy’s forty-year career."" - Jonathan Karp, Jewish Review of Books
""Four stars. Richard Carlin’s brilliant research digs up intriguing stories. . . . Totally fascinating."" - Fred Dellar, Mojo
""Richard Carlin has written an eye-opening, behind-the-scenes study of jazz and popular music through the fascinating (and checkered) career of Morris Levy. Digging deep into a variety of sources, Carlin has added fascinating, often highly personal, details to the history of popular music during the latter half of the twentieth century. This is a messy and revealing story, with an assortment of criminal types and sprinkled with many interesting photos."" - Ronald D. Cohen, editor of Alan Lomax, Assistant in Charge: The Library of Congress Letters, 1935–1945, published by University Press of Mississippi
""The FBI always figured Morris Levy was the front man for the syndicate in the record business. This beloved, feared music man finally gets the epic biography he deserves in Richard Carlin’s fascinating Godfather of the Music Business."" - Joel Selvin, author of Here Comes the Night: The Dark Soul of Bert Berns and the Dirty Business of Rhythm and Blues
Richard Carlin, Glen Ridge, New Jersey, is the author of several books on popular music, including Worlds of Sound: The Story of Smithsonian Folkways and Country Music: The People, Places, and Moments That Shaped the Country Style. He also coedited “Ain’t Nothing But the Real Thing”: How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment and edited the eight-volume series America’s Popular Music.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781496814807 |
| ISBN 10 | 1496814800 |
| Title | Godfather of the Music Business |
| Author | Richard Carlin |
| Series | American Made Music Series |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | University Press of Mississippi |
| Year published | 2017-08-30 |
| Number of pages | 312 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |