1910 - 1987
John Henry Hammond II 1910-1987
was an influential American record producer, music critic, and civil rights activist. He is considered one of the most important talent scouts of the 20th century and played a decisive role in discovering and promoting numerous legendary musicians from a wide variety of genres.
Talent scout and discoverer
Hammond had an extraordinary knack for spotting musical talent. He is credited with discovering or promoting the careers of such important artists as Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Charlie Christian, Bessie Smith, Robert Johnson, Aretha Franklin, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and many others.
Columbia Records
He was associated with Columbia Records for over 50 years and contributed significantly to the label's success by signing style-defining artists.
Hammond was a staunch advocate of racial equality and actively promoted integration in the music industry. He brought white and black musicians together, thereby helping to break down racial barriers in the music world.
Producer
He produced numerous important recordings, including early works by many of the artists he discovered.
Music journalist and critic
Hammond wrote for various music magazines and contributed to shaping musical tastes as a critic. He also worked as a radio presenter. “From Spirituals to Swing” concerts: His legendary “From Spirituals to Swing” concerts at New York's Carnegie Hall in the late 1930s were groundbreaking in that they introduced African-American music to a wide audience and helped to overcome racial segregation.
Autobiography
Gemeinsam mit Irving Townsend verfasste er seine Autobiografie "John Hammond on Record", die 1977 erschien. John Hammond war eine Schlüsselfigur in der Entwicklung der populären Musik des 20. Jahrhunderts. Sein Engagement, sein musikalisches Gespür und sein Einsatz für soziale Gerechtigkeit machten ihn zu einer Legende der Musikindustrie. Er wurde 1986 in die Rock and Roll Hall of Fame aufgenommen.
John Hammond's role in Mahalia Jackson's career John Hammond played a decisive role in Mahalia Jackson's move from Apollo Records to Columbia Records in 1954.
He was an influential music producer and talent scout who was passionate about jazz, blues, and gospel. Hammond was an early admirer of Mahalia's talent. He knew her first recordings for Decca from the late 1930s and was impressed by her Apollo recordings in the late 1940s. He was committed to promoting black musicians. As vice president of Mercury Records, he hired Jackson for political events in Chicago.
The connection to Mitch MillerHammond, who was working at Columbia Records at the time, was close friends with Mitch Miller, the head of the label's pop division. Miller was looking for a gospel singer for Columbia, and Hammond recommended Mahalia Jackson. Hammond arranged a lunch with Jackson and Miller to introduce the two and discuss the possibility of a contract with Columbia.
Hammond advised Mahalia to sign with Columbia, but also promised her that she would have complete artistic control over her recordings. He also warned her that Columbia might not be able to market her effectively to a black audience. After Jackson signed with Columbia, Hammond wrote a positive review of her for the New York Times, praising her move to a larger label. Hammond's role in Jackson's move to Columbia was crucial. His recommendation, his influence at Columbia, and his commitment to Jackson's artistic freedom enabled her to reach a wider audience and increase her commercial success. Ironically, Hammond later criticized Jackson's artistic decisions at Columbia, arguing that she had conformed too much to mainstream tastes and lost her connection to black audiences.