Al Nevins
Encyclopedia
Al Nevins, born Albert Tepper (1915 – 25 January 1965), was a renowned musician, producer, arranger, guitarist and violinist. He was also member of a pop trio called the Three Suns and is considered one of the major forces behind the evolution of the 1950s music into the early 1960s pop/rock music.
in 1915. In 1939, in partnership with his accordionist brother Morty Nevins and cousin organ player Artie Dunn, he founded The Three Suns
. The band was signed to RCA Victor. Al Nevins' song "Twilight Time
" (co-written with Morty Nevins and Buck Ram
) made it to the American Top 20. (The song was covered by The Platters
, who were managed by Ram, and their version sold more than 4 million copies.) It was followed by a very successful cover of "Peg o' My Heart
", which became one of the best-selling records of 1947 in the United States, staying for 16 weeks on the US Billboard chart, and peaking at #2. In 1954 Al Nevins left the band due to ill health to be replaced by Johnny Buck and later by Joe Negri.
and they partnered for a publishing company that would specialize in music aimed at young listeners. The Platters' revival of Nevins' hit "Twilight Time," helped. The publishing company entitled Aldon Music
became hugely successful with Nevins' business acumen and experience as a producer and arranger, and Kirshner's keen ability for discovering talented songwriters and performers, as well as the industry contacts he doggedly pursued. Aldon Music had under contract at various times several of the most important songwriters of the so-called "Brill Building
" school, including Carole King
, Gerry Goffin
, Neil Sedaka
, Howard Greenfield
, Barry Mann
, Cynthia Weil
and Jack Keller
. As a producer-promoter, Kirshner was influential in starting off the career of singers and songwriters including Bobby Darin
, Neil Diamond
and Carole King
.
Kirshner and Nevins began working as producers as well as publishers, with Aldon not just offering songs, but also recording finished recordings to the labels, which gave them a share of artist royalties as well as the standard publisher's share of revenue from songs.
At the height of his success, Al Nevins suffered a heart attack and had relinquished his position by the early 1960s, but he continued to exert a powerful indirect influence at Aldon Music in his choice of arrangers, including the addition of Marty Gold
and Sid Ramin
.
In 1963, Aldon Music and the rest of Kirshner's ventures were sold to Columbia Pictures
, and Kirshner became the head of the studio's newly enlarged record division, while Nevins stayed on as a consultant to the new operation.
The company's record of successes included more than 200 songs in the Top 40 charts in the space of five years.
Nevins' health continued to deteriorate, however, and he died in early 1965.
The Three Suns
Al Nevins was born in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1915. In 1939, in partnership with his accordionist brother Morty Nevins and cousin organ player Artie Dunn, he founded The Three Suns
The Three Suns
The Three Suns was an American instrumental pop group, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.The group was formed in 1939 by Al Nevins and Morty Nevins and Artie Dunn , . Their first hit record was "Twilight Time", which was written by the band along with Buck Ram. "Twilight Time" sold over four million...
. The band was signed to RCA Victor. Al Nevins' song "Twilight Time
Twilight Time (song)
"Twilight Time" is a popular song with lyrics by Buck Ram, and the music by The Three Suns .Original hits of "Twilight Time" included the Three Suns and Les Brown & His Band of Renown ....
" (co-written with Morty Nevins and Buck Ram
Buck Ram
Buck Ram was an American songwriter, and popular music producer and arranger.-Biography:...
) made it to the American Top 20. (The song was covered by The Platters
The Platters
The Platters were a vocal group of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre...
, who were managed by Ram, and their version sold more than 4 million copies.) It was followed by a very successful cover of "Peg o' My Heart
Peg o' My Heart
"Peg o' My Heart" is a popular song written by Alfred Bryan and Fred Fisher. It was published on March 15, 1913 and it featured in the 1913 musical Ziegfeld Follies. The song was first performed publicly by Irving Kaufman in 1912 at The College Inn in New York City after he had stumbled across a...
", which became one of the best-selling records of 1947 in the United States, staying for 16 weeks on the US Billboard chart, and peaking at #2. In 1954 Al Nevins left the band due to ill health to be replaced by Johnny Buck and later by Joe Negri.
Solo career
He continued solo, recording three albums: Escapade in Sound, Lights and Shadows and Dancing with the Blues, the last arranged by Charles Albertine. Some releases were under the name Al Nevins and Orchestra.Aldon Music: publishing and producing
In 1958, he met the young songwriter Don KirshnerDon Kirshner
Don Kirshner , known as "The Man With the Golden Ear", was an American song publisher and rock producer who is best known for managing songwriting talent as well as successful pop groups, such as The Monkees, Kansas and The Archies.-Early life:Don Kirshner was born to Gilbert Kirshner, a tailor,...
and they partnered for a publishing company that would specialize in music aimed at young listeners. The Platters' revival of Nevins' hit "Twilight Time," helped. The publishing company entitled Aldon Music
Aldon Music
Aldon Music was a New York-based music publishing company, founded by Don Kirshner and Al Nevins in 1958. Aldon is regarded as having played a significant role in shaping the so-called "Brill Building Sound" in the late 1950s and 1960s....
became hugely successful with Nevins' business acumen and experience as a producer and arranger, and Kirshner's keen ability for discovering talented songwriters and performers, as well as the industry contacts he doggedly pursued. Aldon Music had under contract at various times several of the most important songwriters of the so-called "Brill Building
Brill Building
The Brill Building is an office building located at 1619 Broadway on 49th Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, just north of Times Square and further uptown from the historic musical Tin Pan Alley neighborhood...
" school, including Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
, Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
, Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka is an American pop/rock singer, pianist, and composer. His career has spanned nearly 55 years, during which time he has sold millions of records as an artist and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard...
, Howard Greenfield
Howard Greenfield
Howard Greenfield was an American lyricist and songwriter, who for several years in the 1960s worked out of the famous Brill Building...
, Barry Mann
Barry Mann
Barry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
, Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil is a prominent American songwriter. She is famous for having written many songs together with her husband Barry Mann....
and Jack Keller
Jack Keller (songwriter)
Jack Keller A legend in his own right, Jack Keller wrote hit songs in every genre of music over a period of nearly 40 years with success in New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville....
. As a producer-promoter, Kirshner was influential in starting off the career of singers and songwriters including Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
, Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
and Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
.
Kirshner and Nevins began working as producers as well as publishers, with Aldon not just offering songs, but also recording finished recordings to the labels, which gave them a share of artist royalties as well as the standard publisher's share of revenue from songs.
At the height of his success, Al Nevins suffered a heart attack and had relinquished his position by the early 1960s, but he continued to exert a powerful indirect influence at Aldon Music in his choice of arrangers, including the addition of Marty Gold
Marty Gold
Martin Gold was a composer, pianist, and bandleader born in New York City, New York. He was the pianist and arranger for the Korn Kobblers, a popular 1940s novelty group billed as "America's most nonsensical dance band", but was probably best known as the composer of the song "Tell Me Why", which...
and Sid Ramin
Sid Ramin
Sidney Norton Ramin is an American orchestrator, arranger, and composer.- Personal life :The son of Ezra Ramin, a window trimmer, and Beatrice D. Ramin, he was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 22, with various sources indicating either a birth year of 1919 or 1924. Ramin married Gloria...
.
In 1963, Aldon Music and the rest of Kirshner's ventures were sold to Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
, and Kirshner became the head of the studio's newly enlarged record division, while Nevins stayed on as a consultant to the new operation.
The company's record of successes included more than 200 songs in the Top 40 charts in the space of five years.
Nevins' health continued to deteriorate, however, and he died in early 1965.