Music Biz Announces 2019 Hall of Fame Inductees Including Famed Beatles Producer Sir George Martin

Twelve additional entities including major and independent labels, music industry landmarks and media will also be inducted.

The Music Business Association (Music Biz) today announces this year’s inductees for its Music Business Hall of Fame, including the late Sir George Martin, who will be inducted by his son Giles Martin. This year’s honorees will be recognized during the Music Biz 2019 Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner — sponsored by BuzzAngle Music, City National Bank, Cracker Barrel, Jammber, and TiVo — as part of Music Biz’s Annual Conference on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 pm.

In addition to Sir George Martin, this year’s Hall of Fame ceremony will recognize major labels Atlantic Records and Capitol Records; independent label Sub Pop; industry executives Ahmet Ertegun, Herb Abramson and Miriam Abramson; music industry landmarks the Apollo Theatre, CBGB, Hitsville U.S.A., Sun Studio, and the Troubadour; and Rolling Stone magazine.

The Music Business Hall of Fame is reserved for the individuals, organizations and places that have left an indelible impact on the industry and that serve as shining examples for those who hope to carry the industry into the future. Hall of Fame inductees are selected annually by the Music Biz Board of Directors, which consists of top executives from a wide cross-section of the industry including major and independent labels and distributors, digital music services, wholesalers, and independent record stores.

“With the introduction of the Hall of Fame at last year’s Music Biz Conference, we sought to recognize the inspiration of those industry stalwarts who came before us and laid the groundwork for the vibrant industry we are now a part of,” commented Music Biz President James Donio. “We believe the slate of inductees who will be honored at this year’s ceremony represent the gamut of some of the most influential names in our industry’s history. And, we are especially thrilled to welcome Giles to this year’s celebration as we honor his father’s legacy.”

Across a legendary career spanning more than 50 years, Sir George Martin’s hallmark orchestrations and innovative recording techniques helped to shape popular music. In 1950, Martin began recording Classical music, before broadening his scope with Comedy, Jazz, and Pop. In 1955, he was appointed Head of the Parlophone label, and it was there in 1962 that Martin signed The Beatles, launching an astonishing partnership that revolutionized studio recording forever. At London’s Abbey Road Studios, his own AIR Studios, and elsewhere, Martin also worked with comedians Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Flanders and Swann, and the ‘Beyond the Fringe’ team of Jonathan Miller, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, and Alan Bennett;  jazz artists Stan Getz, Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, and Humphrey Lyttelton; and pop and rock artists Gerry & the Pacemakers, Shirley Bassey, Cilla Black, America, Jeff Beck, Kenny Rogers, Cheap Trick, Little River Band, Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Sting, Michael Jackson, Kate Bush, Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, Pete Townshend, and Elton John, among many others. Before retiring in 2006, Martin produced several Beatles catalog releases, including Let It Be… Naked and The Beatles 1, and collaborated with his son Giles to co-produce several projects, including The Beatles’ Anthology, The Glory of Gershwin, In My Life, and the innovative remixed audio and GRAMMY-winning album for The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil®, the record-breaking show delighting audiences at The Mirage in Las Vegas since 2006. Martin won six GRAMMY Awards, and he holds the record as the producer with the most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with 23.

Giles Martin is a GRAMMY-winning producer, composer, and arranger who has helmed a diverse range of music entertainment projects. He is Universal Music Group’s Global Head of Audio & Sound, Sound Experience Leader for SONOS, Executive Music Director for INXS and Petrol Records, and Musical Director for The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil. Martin produced The Beatles’ acclaimed Anniversary Editions for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (2017) and The BEATLES (‘White Album’) (2018), creating new stereo and 5.1 surround mixes for both albums and presenting them with rare demos and session recordings. He also took his ‘Sgt. Pepper’ mix into the immersive surround sound of Dolby Atmos, a feat he replicated with his 30th anniversary mix of INXS’ Kick. Martin’s film work includes Ron Howard’s The Beatles: Eight Days A Week — The Touring Years, Martin Scorsese’s George Harrison: Living in the Material World, and the Kingsman franchise. Martin will attend the Hall of Fame ceremony fresh off his work producing the music and soundtrack for the upcoming Sir Elton John biopic Rocketman.

About the rest of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees:

Major Labels

• Atlantic Records, one of the most preeminent American record labels specializing in Jazz, R&B, and Soul, is responsible for first showcasing the sound of superstars Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and others. It was founded in 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Abramson’s then-wife Miriam (later Bienstock), played a major role in managing Atlantic’s finances as the label rose to prominence. This will mark the first occasion on which a woman is honored with a Music Biz Hall of Fame induction.
• Capitol Records, the very first West Coast-based record label, will also be inducted at the 2019 Hall of Fame ceremony. Founded by Johnny Mercer, Buddy DeSylva, and Glenn E. Wallichs in 1942, Capitol was responsible for bringing the music of legends such as Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., and Frank Sinatra to the ears of listeners everywhere.

Independent Label

• Independent record label Sub Pop, founded in the late 1980s by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman, is the home of Grunge icons Nirvana and Soundgarden, as well as Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty, The Shins, and many more groundbreaking artists.

Executives

• Ahmet Ertegun is best known as the co-founder and President of Atlantic Records, who helped to popularize Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, The Clovers, The Drifters, The Coasters and Ray Charles. Ertegun also served as chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and wrote a number of classic Blues songs including “Chains of Love,” “Sweet Sixteen” and “Mess Around.”
• Herb Abramson co-founded Atlantic Records with Ertegun in 1947, after a stint at National Records producing Clide McPhatter, The Ravens, Billy Eckstine and Big Joe Turner. He also helped found Atlantic division Atco Records, and set up A-1 Sound Studios where he produced records for Sidney Barnes, the Darling Sisters, Luther Dixon, the Supremes, and so many others.
• Miriam Abramson (later Beinstock) was instrumental in negotiating distribution deals and handling artist payments in Atlantic’s early days. She was ultimately named the label’s Vice President in 1958.

Music Industry Landmarks

• Harlem’s world-famous Apollo Theater, a New York venue known for its lineup of African-American performers and home of the syndicated television variety show Showtime at the Apollo. In its heyday, the Apollo played host to musical greats from Duke Ellington to Otis Redding, and comedy legends including Richard Pryor.
• New York City Punk and New Wave venue CBGB, opened in 1973 by original owner Hilly Kristal, saw the rise of icons such as Blondie, Patti Smith, the Talking Heads and the Ramones. Even after shuttering in 2006, the venue retains legendary status in the Punk music world.
• Hitsville U.S.A. is the birthplace of Motown Records in Detroit, where Motown icons Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Four Tops, and The Jackson 5 recorded in the legendary Studio A.  Today, the original Hitsville U.S.A. space is now the Motown Museum, one of the most cherished, international cultural destinations and welcomes visitors from around the world.
• Opened by Rock and Roll pioneer Sam Phillips, Sun Studio’s legendary recordings introduced the world to icons like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Roy Orbison.
• West Hollywood nightclub the Troubadour was also the location of Elton John’s very first U.S. show. Artists like James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Randy Newman, the Eagles, Joni Mitchell, and Carole King graced the stage at the Troubadour early in their careers.

Media

• Founded in 1967 by publisher Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason, Rolling Stone has become a cornerstone of the foundation of American pop culture known for its cutting-edge coverage of music.

About Music Biz 2019

Music Biz 2019, the industry’s premier business-focused event, takes place Sunday, May 5 through Wednesday, May 8 at the JW Marriott Nashville. Attendees can look forward to keynote presentations from influential industry trailblazers including Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Capitol Records’ Amber Grimes, RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier, and CEO of Def Jam Recordings Paul Rosenberg. The event will also feature our Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner, a celebration of artistic & executive achievement sponsored by BuzzAngle Music, City National Bank, Cracker Barrel, Jammber, and TiVo. Announced thus far, Bebe Rexha and Kane Brown will receive Breakthrough Artist Awards; Darius Rucker will accept the Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award; Sony Music Nashville Chairman and CEO Randy Goodman will receive the Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement; Record Archive owners Richard Storms and Alayna Alderman will accept the Independent Spirit Award; and The Orchard Co-Founder Richard Gottehrer will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award. More programming and awards announcements will be made in the coming weeks. Visit musicbiz2019.com for the most up-to-date conference information. To register for the 2019 event, go to musicbiz2019.eventbrite.com.

About the Music Business Association
The Music Business Association (Music Biz) is a not-for-profit membership organization that advances, promotes and invests in the future of the music business by providing a trusted forum where ideas and cooperation flourish. Through events, education and engagement, Music Biz brings together the full breadth of the industry for unparalleled access to networking, resources and thought leadership.

For Media Inquiries:

Kiva Kamerling
The Press House
kiva@thepresshouse.com
347-804-4675