Irving Green

Irving B. Green (also known as Irvin B. Green) (February 6, 1916 – July 1, 2006[1]) was an American record industry executive, and founder and president of Mercury Records.

Irving B. Green
BornFebruary 6, 1916
Brooklyn, New York, United States
DiedJuly 1, 2006 (age 90)
NationalityUnited States
OccupationRecord producer
Known forfounder of Mercury Records
Spouse(s)Pamela Green
Children2
Parent(s)Al Green

Biography

Green was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Sylvia (née Langler) and Albert "Al" Green, the founder of National Records.[2] His father was Jewish.[3] He was instrumental in promoting African-American artists such as Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and the Platters.

In 1945, he founded Mercury Records, in Chicago, Illinois, along with Berle Adams and Arthur Talmadge, and helped turn the independent outfit into a major label.

In 1962, Green sold Mercury to Consolidated Electronics Industries Corporation (Conelco) an American affiliate of Dutch electronics giant Philips of the Netherlands but he remained Mercury Records' President. Green continued to run Mercury for five years after selling the company.

In 1964, Mercury Records became the first major record label to have a black high-level executive, when Green hired the trumpeter Quincy Jones as vice president.

After leaving Mercury, he became a successful real estate developer in Palm Springs and built over 18,000 homes in southern Iran with real-estate developer Bill Levitt.[4]

Personal life

Green died on July 1, 2006 at the Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California.[4] He was survived by his wife Pamela and two daughters, Roberta Green Hunt and Kelli Green Ross.[4] Services were held at Temple Isaiah in Palm Springs.[4] He is buried in Desert Memorial Park[1] in Cathedral City, California.

References
  1. Palm Springs Cemetery District, "Interments of Interest"
  2. "Al Green, father of Irving Green of Mercury and founder of National Records, is seriously ill at his home in San Francisco". Billboard. August 21, 1961.
  3. Rebecca, Kobrin (August 20, 2012). Chosen Capital: The Jewish Encounter with American Capitalism. Rutgers University Press. ASIN B01EIVMTZU. Magid's description also makes clear that for tough, enterprising Jews like Green, label ownership capped the difficult climb out of the ghetto...
  4. McClellan, Dennis (July 4, 2006). "Irving Green, 90; Helped Start Mercury Records, Broke Racial Barriers". The Los Angeles Times.


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