Russ Regan

Russ Regan (born Harold Rustigian; October 15, 1928 in Sanger, California^[1] – May 27, 2018 in Palm Springs, California)^[2] was an American record executive who was President of both UNI Records and 20th Century Records^[3] and was vice-president of A&R at Motown.^[4] Regan is the rare executive to have seen No. 1 hits in four successive decades.

Russ Regan
Birth name	Harold Rustigian
Born	(1928-10-15)October 15, 1928 Sanger, California, U.S.
Died	May 27, 2018(2018-05-27) (aged 89) Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Record executive
Labels	UNI, 20th Century, Motown

Career

He started 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" credited to Dancer, Prancer and Nervous (No. 34, Pop) issued by Capitol Records.^[5] In the early 1960s, Regan recorded "Joan of Love", backed with "Adults Only", which was released under the name Russ Regan.^{[citation needed]} He also recorded "Calling All Cars" under the name Davy Summers for Warner Brothers with producer Sonny Bono.^{[citation needed]} In the mid-1960s, he was drafted in to help form a musical direction for Warner Brothers' fledgling pop/soul music subsidiary, Loma Records.^{[citation needed]}

Regan started in record promotion with Motown in the early years of the company.^{[citation needed]} His first project there was the company's first Billboard Hot 100 number one record, "Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes in 1961.^{[citation needed]} He would go on to promote songs by The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, and Marvin Gaye.^{[citation needed]} He suggested the name of The Beach Boys when a Los Angeles group called Carl & The Passions had just recorded a song called "Surfin'".^[3] He also helped Frank Sinatra record his No. 4 hit, "That's Life" in 1966.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]} Regan also signed Ambrosia and Harriet Schock to 20th Century Records.^{[citation needed]}

Russ Regan played a major role in the careers of a number of recording artists, as he headed up labels such as Uni, 20th Century and Phonogram Records.^[3] Dozens of recording artists, including Elton John, Neil Diamond, Barry White, Olivia Newton-John and The Beach Boys had Regan to thank for opening the doors for their success.^[6] One of his most surprising successes while at UNI was South African trumpeter Hugh Masakela's "Grazing In The Grass" in 1968, which sold over a million and reached the top spot in the Billboard pop chart.^{[citation needed]}

While President of 20th Century Records, Regan was inspired from a dream to create the movie All This and World War II, which saw Fox News footage from WWII backed with various artists singing Beatles songs.^{[citation needed]} The movie was never released on video, and it remains in the vaults of 20th Century Fox.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]}

Notes

1. Murphy, James B. (8 June 2015). Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961–1963. McFarland. ISBN 9781476618531. Retrieved 13 October 2018 – via Google Books.
2. "Russ Regan, Music Executive Who Signed Elton John and Neil Diamond, Dies at 89". Variety.com. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
3. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 621. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
4. "Georgio Groomed For Stardom" (PDF). Americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
5. Edwards, Dave; Eyries, Patrice; Callahan, Mike (April 24, 2007). "Universal City Records [UNI] Album Discography". Discographies. Both Sides Now Publications. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
6. Freedland, Nat (August 31, 1974). "Sometimes Nice Guys Come In First: The Russ Regan Story". Billboard. Vol. 86, no. 35. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved July 2, 2011.

References

• Wayne, Artie (2006). "Russ Regan Interviewed". Spectropop. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
• "Clearvision International, Inc. and Velocity Entertainment, Inc. Sign Letter Of Intent". BNET. Hollywood, California: CBS Interactive. January 20, 2007. Retrieved July 2, 2011.

External links

• . Archived from the original on 2007-12-25. Retrieved 2008-02-03.