Larry Newton

Larry Newton (né Louis I. Nutinsky[1] 7 May 1920, in Philadelphia – 30 January 2005, in Pompano Beach, Florida) was an American record company entrepreneur who, earlier in his career, worked with several independent labels. He then became sales manager at the 1955 startup of ABC-Paramount Records, ascending to president in 1965. He oversaw what became a major multimarket, multi-label company, which, for its jazz subsidiary Impulse!, included Ray Charles, Oliver Nelson, Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, and John Coltrane.

Career

Newton's career began in 1938, while still in high school, when he worked in the stockroom of a Columbia distributor in Philadelphia. He became a salesman for Varsity, Combo, and Rainbow Records[2][3]

Newton enlisted December 1, 1941, in the U.S. Army and served as a paratrooper during World War II and was honorably discharged November 15, 1945.[4] In 1946, Newton became sales manager for Black & White Records.

In March 1949, Newton left B&W to become general manager of Peak Records. Also, around July 1949, Newton co-founded, co-owned, and co-managed, with Eddie Heller,[lower-alpha 1] Derby Records[5] — which produced hit by the Eddie Wilcox Orchestra, with Sunny Gale[lower-alpha 2] singing "Wheel of Fortune" – and Jaye P. Morgan.

Newton overextended financially and, in 1953, formed a record Central Records with Lee Magid 1953. Eventually, in 1954, he had to file for bankruptcy. The Derby masters were sold to RCA where Newton became an executive.[6]

In 1955, Newton became General Manager of Murray Katz's Treat Records, then located at 236 West 55 Street in Manhattan. In 1956, he joined ABC-Paramount as sales manager where, in 1959, he rose to vice president of sales and, in 1965, president.

1967 saw Newton's most infamous decision: to not promote Louis Armstrong's recording of the song "What a Wonderful World". The song had been written with Armstrong in mind, but when Armstrong, who had recently signed with ABC Records, was recording it, Newton tried to stop the recording session, because he disliked the slow pace. Newton was physically locked out of the studio, and the session continued with him fuming outside.[7] Afterward, Newton put no promotion effort into the single, calling it a mistake.[8] "What a Wonderful World" did not do well in the U.S. as a result, though it succeeded elsewhere in the world, including hitting #1 in the UK. It remained essentially unknown in the United States until 20 years later, when it gained popularity after being used in the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam.[8]

In 1970, Newton became vice-president of ABC Pictures. In 1972, Newton returned to the record business by co-founding and heading GSF Records.[9]

Death

Sometime in the 1940s, Newton married Dorothy Liberman (aka "Dolly;" 1921–2014). He died on January 30, 2005, in Pompano Beach, Florida. He was 84 years old. Larry and his wife are both buried at Star of David Memorial Gardens, North Lauderdale, Florida[10]

Notes
  1. Eddie Heller founded Rainbow Records in New York City in 1947 and ran it until 1957, when he switched to RCA Victor as Musical Director, a post he held until January 1959; his brother, Bobby Heller, joined Rainbow in 1950 as Promotion Manager; in February 1959, Eddie Heller became Musical Director of MGM Records; Eddie and Bobby also owned a club in north Philadelphia; Eddie died of a heart attack while, among other things, arranging a tour for Rudy Lynn, a celebrity hairstylist who, in 1964, quit to record his first song, "Number One Guy," for Heller's new label, Tribute Records ("Stylist and Confidant to the Stars Rudy Lynn," by Karen Ford, American Salon, April 24, 2015)
  2. Sunny Gale (née Selma Sega; born 20 February 1927 Clayton, New Jersey) was a pop singer who flourished in the 1950s; "Wheel Of Fortune," released by Derby, was her first recording; it became her first Top 20 hit in 1952 and remains her best-known single

References
  1. "Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007: 'Larry Newton'" (retrieved May 17, 2016, via www.ancestry.com) (link; subscription required)
  2. "Clark to Head AB-PT; Top ABC-Para. Post to Newton," Magazine, Vol. 76, No. 47, November 21, 1964, pps. 1 & 8
  3. "Rainbow Records" (blog via WordPress) (retrieved May 17, 2016)
  4. "US Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS (Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem) Death File, 1850-2010"
  5. "Derby Records Continue to Wax Best in Music," New York Age, February 4, 1950, pg. 29
  6. Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock 'n' Roll Pioneers, by John Broven, University of Illinois Press (2009); pg. 440; OCLC 785781204
  7. "What A Wonderful World". The Pop History Dig. Retrieved 2013-04-21.
  8. Holley Jr., Eugene (October 2017). "Q&A with Armstrong Scholar Ricky Riccardi: 50 Years of 'Wonderful World'". Downbeat.
  9. "GSF Into Disk, Music Fields; Newton Is Chief," Magazine, Vol. 84, No. 16, April 15, 1972, pg. 3
  10. Larry Newton at Find a Grave (retrieved June 18, 2012)
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