The Legendary
Henry Stone
Henry Stone has long been known around the world as one
of the pioneers of the record industry. In his almost six
decades in the business he has discovered talents that have
sold millions of records and become international stars,
and he has formed record companies with hits so big and
meaningful that they created new categories in music. After
working with vinyl, cassettes, and CD's, Henry Stone is
now moving into music's digital era with worldwide digital
distribution of his product through some of the most popular
download sites on the internet.
Stone was born in the Bronx, New York. He played the trumpet,
and after the Army he moved to Los Angeles where, in 1946,
he started his career by selling records to jukebox operators
from the trunk of his car.
In 1948 he moved to Miami and started to record and distribute
the abundance of great Miami Doo-Wop, Blues, Gospel and
R&B artists. He wanted to funk up the world, and he
started doing just that via his own Chart, Rockin' and Glory
labels.
And he dabbled in production. Stone was one of the first
to record Ray Charles, James Brown, Wilbert Harrison, Sam
& Dave and Hank Ballard's "The Twist". His first million
selling hit was The Charms' "Hearts of Stone" in 1955. Other
records from that era include Otis Williams and the Charms
on Rockin' Records with "Ling, Ting, Tong", "Bazoom
(I Need Your Lovin')" and "Two Hearts"; Nat Kendrick and
the Swans (James Brown's Band), on Dade with "(Do The) Mashed
Potatoes".
Henry soon launched a dozen more Miami based record labels
as Dade, Glades, Marlin and Scott in the 50s. He also founded
Tone Distributors which became one of the most successful
independent record distribution companies.
Stone's greatest worldwide successes came during the seventies.
He was brilliant at discovering and nurturing new talent.
With Tone Distributors and a little label called TK Records
built into a row of warehouses in Hialeah, Florida, an industrial
area west of Miami, far from the major record business centers,
he exploded with what became the number one independent
record label in the world.
Stone had let two kids who were working in the warehouse
experiment in the recording studio. KC and Rick wrote the
number one "Rock Your Baby" which George McCrae sang, and
soon, as KC and The Sunshine Band, released a string of
number one hits such as "Get Down Tonight" and "That's The
Way I Like It" on Henry Stone's TK label. With hits that
kept dance floors and film soundtracks hopping all over
the world, Henry Stone's TK Records helped create and lead
the disco phenomenon.
At the same time that he spearheaded the disco era, Henry
Stone and label VP Steve Alaimo, himself a former teen idol
and hit recording artist, had created another new category
in music idolized around the world - "The Miami Sound."
In addition to KC and The Sunshine Band and George McCrae,
TK's recording artists included Betty Wright ("Clean Up
Woman"), Timmy Thomas ("Why Can't We Live Together"), Clarence
Reid ("Nobody But You Babe"), Little Beaver ("Party Down"),
Peter Brown ("Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me", "Dance With
Me"), Bobby Caldwell ("What You Won't Do For Love"), Anita
Ward ("Ring My Bell"), Beginning of the End ("Funky Nassau"),
Foxy ("Get Off"), T-Connection ("Do What You Wanna Do"),
Gwen McCrae ("Rockin Chair") and Latimore with such greats
as "Let's Straighten It Out", "Keep the Home Fire Burnin'",
"Something 'Bout 'Cha".
Henry Stone is indeed a living legend. He is one of the
last independent label executives who was one of the heavyweights
with artists from the 40s, 50s, and 60s and label heads
like Syd Nathan, George Goldner, the Bihari Brothers, Ewart
Abner, the Erteguns, Jerry Wexler, Hy Weiss, and Morris
Levy.
For decades, followers of Henry Stone and his music have
made pilgrimages to Florida from all corners of the globe
to meet the man who has uniquely worked with so many greats,
and so many genres, for so many years. In fact, it is with
the help of some of his loyal admirers that Stone has been
able to find and digitize some of the old and lost rare
classic records by artists like Ray Charles, James Brown,
Earl Hooker, Steve Alaimo, Nat Kendrick and The Swans, Yvonne
Fair, Lightnin' Hopkins, and many more.
On his new label, The Legendary Henry Stone Presents, music
lovers everywhere will now be able to listen to many of
the rare and cherished classics created by Henry Stone as
they are released digitally for all the world to treasure.
In
2004 Henry Stone was awarded the first ever Pioneer Award
for the Dance Music Hall of Fame, which was presented in
New York City at Spirit Nightclub. Henry also received the
first ever Lifetime Achievement Award for the Winter Music
Conference presented here in Miami. This commemorated their
20th year and they are one of the largest International
Music Conferences in the World.
Contact Information:
Henry Stone Music, Inc.
Phone: 305-285-1475, Fax: 305-285-9685
www.henrystonemusic.com
henrystonemusic@aol.com
