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D-I-Y Overt There: Indies Abroad Time-Bomb Songs AIMP Turns 20 Making the MIDEM Trip HANDS-ON AND HEALTHY: Today's Indies Are Involved And Doing A Better Job Than Ever 'Chasing The […]

Brian McKnight is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, musical arranger, record producer--even an actor, co-starring in the sitcom Sister Sister--who's been hanging platinum records on his walls for the past 10 [...]

Present-tense promotion means 'never a day without change or 10 things that need immediate attention.' Just as Jeff McClusky & Associates is more than a radio promotion firm, its success [...]

After two successful decades, the nation's premier radio-promotion-and-marketing firm provides hundreds of stations with a variety of services. But its foundation and driving force remains unchanged: an unflagging enthusiasm for [...]

THE BILLBOARD INTERVIEW ETTA JAMES Etta James' first taste of fame came at age 15, when she co-wrote and recorded 'The Wallflower' (a.k.a. 'Roll With Me Henry')--the answer record to [...]

Now celebrating her 50th year in the music business, Etta James can point with pride to an impressive catalog of her work. Currently available are 23 individual albums, a two-CD [...]

With Its Brand Of Mind-Blowing Mysticism And Eye-Popping Showmanship, EWF Has Created A Musical Legacy Earth, Wind & Fire has sold more than 20 million albums--including an astonishing six consecutive [...]

He started out playing trumpet in his grade-school band, switched to electric bass when the Beatles hit, then co-founded White Wing Records, 'the coolest record store in Miles, Ohio' (a [...]

There are many. Chief among them is thinking like the labels it distributes. Currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, RED Distribution began in May 1979 as Important Record Distributors. As the [...]

'The perfect give-and-take' has characterized three decades of fruitful writing, producing and business collaboration. Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff were a songwriting partnership that blossomed into a record-production team that […]

The most successful start-up record label of the last decade has to be Atlanta-based LaFace Records. Founders/co-presidents Antonio 'L.A.' Reid and Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds first got together as the respective […]

Ten years ago, the special-products business was about answering the phone and servicing song requests,' says Universal Music president of special markets Bruce Resnikoff. 'Nowadays, it has become a marketing […]

'Punk rock is always going great, even when it's not the flavor of the month,' notes Caroline's director of purchasing and label relations Michael Bull. 'Historically, it's always been our […]

Remember when 'indie' meant independent and 'alternative' meant an alternative to major labels? So do the folks at Caroline Distribution. After all, the Caroline Records label was there, releasing many […]

As the lines between electronic music and hip-hop became increasingly blurred, Caroline began strengthening its commitment to hip-hop in 1997. 'We were finding that people who bought electronic music were […]

'We are America's largest and most diverse distributor of electronic music,' says Caroline Eastern region sales manager Sean Gibbons. 'And electronic-dance music is one of the styles that's linked closest […]

Much of Caroline's 16-year success story has to do with how well the company covers the field. The following profiles chronicle Caroline's continuing efforts on behalf of a wide range […]

BRANCHING OUT FROM ITS ORIGINS AS A PURELY CLASSICAL DISTRIBUTOR, ALLEGRO'S FAMILY TREE IS NOW HOME TO A WIDE VARIETY OF LABELS AND MUSIC, EACH WITH ITS OWN SUCCESS STORY […]

From his work with the Monk Institute to the Rhythm Of Life Foundation, Hancock is actively involved with jazz education. Herbie Hancock has been deeply involved with the Thelonious Monk […]

Billboard surveyed a variety of past and present NARM participants, who reminisced about their first conventions, their most memorable experiences and what the 40-year-old organization has meant to them. 'My […]

Ray Charles. Truthfully, what can we say? Maybe 'Hey' (hey), 'Ho' (ho)... The basic biographical facts are these: Born Ray Charles Robinson on Sept. 23, 1930, in Albany, Ga. Raised [...]

'Brain McKnight has always been distinguished by his amazing voice, incredible musicianship and the strength of his songwriting,' says Universal Music Publishing Group Worldwide president David Renzer. 'While the A&R [...]

For almost two decades, the dedicated Memphis organization has supported activities that honor the music and promote its awareness internationally. 'To promote and preserve the blues around the globe': That's [...]

Tony Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto on Aug. 13, 1926, in Astoria, Queens, New York City, U.S.A. Italian grocer father, American seamstress mother. Learns work ethic early: 10 years old […]

James Brown died of heart failure on Christmas morning, Dec. 25, 2006, at age 73. But his gifts as a singer, songwriter, record producer, activist and showman extraordinaire will certainly [...]

It's probably the best time in the recent history of the music business to be a strong independent,' enthuses Koch Entertainment president Bob Frank 'The majors have had to do [...]

With a plethora of DVD-Audio, DVD-Video and SACD titles in the marketplace, retailers say there needs to be more consumer awareness and marketing muscle before these new audio formats can […]

'There are very few opportunities for acquisitions of this magnitude,' says Warner Strategic Marketing president Scott Pascucci, referring to the recent announcement that Rhino Records-now under the WSM aegis--scored the [...]

The blues may have its roots in Africa, but it remains one of the true wellsprings of African-American music. Virtually all the acknowledged masterworks are available on CD, and classic [...]

All are concerned about retail and distributor consolidation. They may, however, differ in their opinions about what it all means and how best to deal with the situation. The recent […]

The Distributor's Sound Decisions Led To Unlimited Success BAKER & TAYLOR ENTERTAINMENT began its corporate life in 1973 as a Chicago-based record one-stop called Sound Unlimited. Five years later, the […]

Wide tastes and a 'PASSION TO MAKE IT WORK' have served Mammoth's founder well through a decade of AMAZING MUSIC and GOOD BUSINESS. Armed with an MBA from Duke and […]

'There's a whole palette of ways to grow the business,' says Rykodisc president/CEO Don Rose, whose company merged with Island founder Chris Blackwell's new Palm Pictures entertainment firm just two […]

A Pioneer, Mentor And. Legend, He Still Boogies After 50 Years Those moaning, droning overtones...those ragged, jagged guitar lines...those low-down, throaty, stream-of-consciousness vocals... Those silences are LOUD! That's John Lee […]

Bennett's longtime accompanist digs the adventure and keeping it fresh. Now 74, Sharon began his professional career at age 16 when he joined the original Ted Heath big band's lineup. […]