Russ Regan
Encyclopedia
Russ Regan is a long-time record executive who was President of both UNI Records, and 20th Century Records
. Regan also worked at Motown
among other companies. He started with Berry Gordy
at Motown and promoted many artists including Marvin Gaye
, Stevie Wonder
, The Supremes
and Smokey Robinson
. He struck a deal with Jimmy Miller Productions when Miller left The Rolling Stones
which resulted in albums from B.B.King, Henry Gross
, Bobby Whitlock
, and others. Regan also signed Ambrosia
and Harriet Schock
to 20th Century Records
. Regan has been described as the "Man with the Golden Ear".
Regan began his career as a promoter with Motown Records, where his first project was a little tune called "Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes
. He would go on to promote songs by The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and Marvin Gaye. He helped Frank Sinatra
record "That's Life." In 1961, when a friend asked him to suggest a new name for a band called The Pendeltons that had just recorded a song called "Surfin'
", Regan suggested The Beach Boys
.
Russ Regan played a major role in the careers of the biggest names of recorded music as he headed up labels such as Uni
, 20th Century
& Polygram Records. Dozens of recording artists, including super stars Elton John
, Neil Diamond
, Barry White
, Olivia Newton-John
and The Beach Boys have Regan to thank for opening the door for their success. While President of 20th Century Records, Regan was inspired from a dream to create the Cult Movie All This and World War II
which saw Fox News Footage from WWII backed with Superstars singing Beatles tunes. The movie was never released on video, and remains in the vaults of 20th Century Fox. Regan also supervised the soundtracks for the movies Endless Love
, Breakin'
, The Karate Kid, All The Right Moves
, Love At First Bite
, This Is Spinal Tap
and A Chorus Line
. Regan was also the Music Supervisor for four Academy Award winning songs from the films: The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, Flashdance and Chariots of Fire. The musical recordings Russ Regan has been involved with during his career have achieved sales of over one billion records worldwide.
Regan began his career in the 1950s as a composer and record producer. His first notable hit was a 1959 Christmas novelty song inspired by "The Chipmunk Song" titled "The Happy Reindeer" by Dancer, Prancer and Nervous issued by Capitol Records
. In the early 1960s Regan recorded "Joan of Love", backed with "Adults Only", and was released under the name Russ Regan. He also recorded "Calling All Cars" under the name Davy Summers for Warner Brothers with producer Sonny Bono
. In the mid-sixties, he was drafted in to help form a musical direction for Warner Brothers then fledgling popular music subsidiary, Loma Records
.
Russ Regan along with more than two dozen other radio and music industry leaders are members of the nominating committee of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. He is one of only a few record executives in the world who has had a number one record in each of the last four decades.
20th Century Records
20th Century Fox Records, also known as 20th Fox Records and 20th Century Records, was a subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox.-History:It began in 1958 as 20th Fox Records. In 1963, 20th Fox Records became 20th Century-Fox Records...
. Regan also worked at Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
among other companies. He started with Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
at Motown and promoted many artists including Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
and Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
. He struck a deal with Jimmy Miller Productions when Miller left The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
which resulted in albums from B.B.King, Henry Gross
Henry Gross
Henry Gross , is an American singer-songwriter best known for his association with the group, Sha Na Na, and for his hit song, "Shannon".-Early years:...
, Bobby Whitlock
Bobby Whitlock
Robert Stanley 'Bobby' Whitlock is a songwriter and performer, best known as a member of Derek and the Dominos.- Biography :...
, and others. Regan also signed Ambrosia
Ambrosia (band)
Ambrosia is an American rock band formed in southern California in 1970. Ambrosia had five Top Forty hit singles between 1975 and 1980.-Formation and inspiration:...
and Harriet Schock
Harriet Schock
Harriet Schock is an American singer, songwriter, teacher, author, and actress. She made three albums for a major label in the 70s, scoring gold and platinum awards for her Grammy-nominated Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady, before moving into teaching and soundtrack work, and then resuming an ongoing...
to 20th Century Records
20th Century Records
20th Century Fox Records, also known as 20th Fox Records and 20th Century Records, was a subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox.-History:It began in 1958 as 20th Fox Records. In 1963, 20th Fox Records became 20th Century-Fox Records...
. Regan has been described as the "Man with the Golden Ear".
Regan began his career as a promoter with Motown Records, where his first project was a little tune called "Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes
The Marvelettes
The Marvelettes were an American singing girl group on the Tamla label. Motown's first successful female vocal group, the Marvelettes are most notable for recording the company's first #1 Pop hit, "Please Mr...
. He would go on to promote songs by The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and Marvin Gaye. He helped Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
record "That's Life." In 1961, when a friend asked him to suggest a new name for a band called The Pendeltons that had just recorded a song called "Surfin'
Surfin' (song)
"Surfin" is a song by American rock band The Beach Boys, written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love. It was released as the first Beach Boys single in November 1961 on Candix Records and it later appeared on the 1962 album Surfin' Safari. The Beach Boys were trying to think of something original and...
", Regan suggested The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
.
Russ Regan played a major role in the careers of the biggest names of recorded music as he headed up labels such as Uni
Uni Records
Uni Records was a record label owned by MCA Inc. The brand, which long featured a distinct UNi logo, was established in 1966 by MCA executive Ned Tanen and developed by music industry veteran Russ Regan...
, 20th Century
20th Century Records
20th Century Fox Records, also known as 20th Fox Records and 20th Century Records, was a subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox.-History:It began in 1958 as 20th Fox Records. In 1963, 20th Fox Records became 20th Century-Fox Records...
& Polygram Records. Dozens of recording artists, including super stars Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, 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....
, Barry White
Barry White
Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring...
, Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
and The Beach Boys have Regan to thank for opening the door for their success. While President of 20th Century Records, Regan was inspired from a dream to create the Cult Movie All This and World War II
All This and World War II
All This and World War II is a 1976 musical documentary that juxtaposes Beatles songs, performed by a number of musicians, with World War II newsreel footage and 20th Century Fox films from the 1940s...
which saw Fox News Footage from WWII backed with Superstars singing Beatles tunes. The movie was never released on video, and remains in the vaults of 20th Century Fox. Regan also supervised the soundtracks for the movies Endless Love
Endless Love
Endless Love may refer to:*Endless Love, a novel by Scott Spencer*Endless Love , released in 1981 and starring Brooke Shields, based on the novel**Endless Love...
, Breakin'
Breakin'
Breakin', released as Breakdance: The Movie in some countries, is a 1984 breakdancing-themed film directed by Joel Silberg. The film setting was inspired by a German documentary entitled Breakin' and Enterin set in the Los Angeles multi-racial hip hop club Radiotron, based out of Macarthur Park in...
, The Karate Kid, All The Right Moves
All the Right Moves
All the Right Moves is a 1983 drama film directed by Michael Chapman and starring Tom Cruise, Craig T. Nelson, Lea Thompson, Chris Penn, and Gary Graham...
, Love At First Bite
Love At First Bite
Love at First Bite is a 1979 comedy horror film directed by Stan Dragoti and written by Robert Kaufman, using characters originally created by Bram Stoker. It stars George Hamilton, Susan Saint James, Richard Benjamin and Arte Johnson. The original music score was composed by Charles Bernstein...
, This Is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap is an American 1984 rock musical mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap...
and A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line (film)
A Chorus Line is a 1985 musical film directed by Richard Attenborough, starring Michael Douglas. The screenplay by Arnold Schulman is based on the Tony Award-winning book of the 1975 stage production of the same name by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante...
. Regan was also the Music Supervisor for four Academy Award winning songs from the films: The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, Flashdance and Chariots of Fire. The musical recordings Russ Regan has been involved with during his career have achieved sales of over one billion records worldwide.
Regan began his career in the 1950s as a composer and record producer. His first notable hit was a 1959 Christmas novelty song inspired by "The Chipmunk Song" titled "The Happy Reindeer" by Dancer, Prancer and Nervous issued by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. In the early 1960s Regan recorded "Joan of Love", backed with "Adults Only", and was released under the name Russ Regan. He also recorded "Calling All Cars" under the name Davy Summers for Warner Brothers with producer Sonny Bono
Sonny Bono
Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono was an American recording artist, record producer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades.-Early life:...
. In the mid-sixties, he was drafted in to help form a musical direction for Warner Brothers then fledgling popular music subsidiary, Loma Records
Loma Records
Loma Records was a sublabel of Warner Bros. Records ran by Bob Krasnow. Its name was derived from Loma Avenue, where its offices were held. It was started as an entry into the R&B market....
.
Russ Regan along with more than two dozen other radio and music industry leaders are members of the nominating committee of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. He is one of only a few record executives in the world who has had a number one record in each of the last four decades.
Filmography
- Chariots of FireChariots of FireChariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
– Music consultant, Polygram Records – 4 million albums sold – Academy Award - FlashdanceFlashdanceAnother song used in the film, "Maniac", was also nominated for an Academy Award. It was written by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky, and was inspired by the 1980 horror film Maniac. The lyrics about a killer on the loose were rewritten so that it could be used in Flashdance...
– Music Consultant, Polygram Records – 16 million albums sold – Academy Award - Endless LoveEndless Love (film)Endless Love is a 1981 romantic drama film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt. The screenplay by Judith Rascoe was adapted from the novel by Scott Spencer...
– Music Consultant, Polygram Records – 3 million albums sold, #1 song for 5 weeks - Breakin'Breakin'Breakin', released as Breakdance: The Movie in some countries, is a 1984 breakdancing-themed film directed by Joel Silberg. The film setting was inspired by a German documentary entitled Breakin' and Enterin set in the Los Angeles multi-racial hip hop club Radiotron, based out of Macarthur Park in...
– Music Consultant, Polygram Records – 4 million albums sold - Breakin' 2: Electric BoogalooBreakin' 2: Electric BoogalooBreakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo is the 1984 sequel to the breakdancing film Breakin. It was first released in the same year as its predecessor by TriStar Pictures, and by Cannon Films the year after...
– Music Consultant, Polygram Records - This Is Spıñal TapThis Is Spinal TapThis Is Spinal Tap is an American 1984 rock musical mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap...
– Music Consultant, Polygram Records - The Karate Kid – Music Consultant, Polygram Records
- All the Right MovesAll the Right MovesAll the Right Moves is a 1983 drama film directed by Michael Chapman and starring Tom Cruise, Craig T. Nelson, Lea Thompson, Chris Penn, and Gary Graham...
– Music Consultant, Polygram Records - A Chorus LineA Chorus Line (film)A Chorus Line is a 1985 musical film directed by Richard Attenborough, starring Michael Douglas. The screenplay by Arnold Schulman is based on the Tony Award-winning book of the 1975 stage production of the same name by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante...
– Music Consultant, Polygram Records - Love at First BiteLove At First BiteLove at First Bite is a 1979 comedy horror film directed by Stan Dragoti and written by Robert Kaufman, using characters originally created by Bram Stoker. It stars George Hamilton, Susan Saint James, Richard Benjamin and Arte Johnson. The original music score was composed by Charles Bernstein...
– Music Consultant, Polygram Records - Staying AliveStaying AliveStaying Alive is the 1983 film sequel to Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta as dancer Tony Manero, with Cynthia Rhodes, Finola Hughes, Joyce Hyser, Steve Inwood, Julie Bovasso, and dancers Viktor Manoel, Kate Ann Wright, Kevyn Morrow and Nanette Tarpey...
– Music Consultant, Polygram Records - The Poseidon Adventure – Music Consultant, President 20th Century Records Academy Award
- The Towering InfernoThe Towering InfernoThe Towering Inferno is a 1974 American action disaster film produced by Irwin Allen featuring an all-star cast led by Steve McQueen and Paul Newman.A co-production between Twentieth Century-Fox and Warner Bros...
– Music Consultant, President 20th Century Records Academy Award