John Hammond on Record: An Autobiography

by John Hammond, Irving Townsend

Records the story of the man who not only produced hit records for fortyfive years but discovered and nurtured such great jazz artists as Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Bob Dylan, and Aretha Franklin

Genres: Music, Biography, Memoir, Nonfiction

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

John Henry Hammond II was an American record producer, civil rights activist, and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s. In his service as a talent scout, Hammond became one of the most influential figures in 20th-century popular music.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ha...


Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Conor · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Hammond certainly lead an amazing life. Knowing the many musicians he is famous for being involved with, I picked up the book wanting to know more about him and learn about other artists along the way. I enjoyed the book but have to say I was a bit let down. It certainly is worth a read, but I can't say it was a page turner.

[Bradthad Codgeroger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rich people hog up far too many of our culture's great experiences. The least they can do is to write a fun book about them.

[bfred · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this autobiography by legendary music business producer/A&R John Hammond. The book jacket describes him as “The greatest ear for talent in American musical history. Among his discoveries: Billie Holiday. Count Basie. Teddy Wilson. Bob Dylan. Aretha Franklin. Bruce Springsteen.” Indeed, Hammond—who wrote this book in 1979, about 10 years before his death—had an impressive string of successes in the business. But the most impressive thing about him is the humility he maintained throughout a life that most would consider glamorous.

As a member of the insanely rich Vanderbilt family, Hammond was raised in a mansion on Manhattan’s upper east side. He bucked family tradition by gravitating towards the jazz clubs of Harlem, gaining access that allowed him to write about the scene for UK publications. His reputation as a journalist led to him booking musicians for labels, and his career as a producer grew from there. His role as a producer really seemed to be about getting interesting combinations of talented musicians in a room together, which was an especially valuable skill in the jazz age. Since his early career took place during the Great Depression, when recording budgets were low, Hammond would sometimes have to pay the down-on-their-luck musicians out of his own pocket—a small price to pay to bring wonderful music to life.

Hammond also details his lifelong commitment to equality and support of the civil rights movement, including covering the Scottsboro Boys trial for The Nation, backing the first integrated nightclub in downtown NYC, and becoming a longtime board member of the NAACP (and eventually its vice president). He even tells an entertaining story about beating up Louis Armstrong’s abusive white manager after hearing him call his client the n-word. But what’s most touching is hearing about the subtle ways that Hammond’s life choices changed the attitudes of his aristocratic parents.

Hammond clearly had an ear for talent, spotting Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin seemingly out of the blue (Bruce Springsteen literally walked into his office after hearing he was the guy who discovered Bob Dylan). That said, the records he actually produced with these artists failed to break through, and it wasn’t until they worked with other producers that they found success. But Hammond was a jazz man through and through, so really, his later discoveries in other genres seemed like cherries on top of an already impressive career. It’s hard not to admire Hammond, and reading his autobiography is an entertaining journey through the music business and the evolving culture of 20th century America.

[Chris Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost didn't read this book, as there's a newer biography by Dunstan Prial that I wanted to read. I saw it in Chapters a few years ago, passed on it temporarily, only to find out when I went back for it that it's out print and hard to find!
I found this in Brian's Record Option (actually, I asked for it. If you're from Kingston you'll know how hard it is to 'find' anything). I only had a cursory knowledge of Hammond's career: Dylan, Springsteen, SRV, Holiday, and a big jazz career going way back.
What I didn't know was his huge involvement in civil rights, including the NAACP, his career in journalism, his staunch dedication to bringing jazz and blues to white audiences, and his fascinating upbringing as a Vanderbilt.
Hammond's writing is wonderful. Funny, witty, poetic, and honest. He's straightforward about his faults, humble about his many accomplishments, and candid about his assessments of a few things he doesn't like: Sinatra, Be Bop, record companies, etc.
My only disappointment was that the book was written before his involvement with Stevie Ray Vaughan. Otherwise, highly recommended for fans of jazz, folk, and blues specifically, but also aspiring musicians or producers of any genre.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much better than the later bio by Dunstan Priall, which is basically superfluous.