James Grayson (music industry executive)

James Grayson (1897–1980) was an English music industry executive and music impresario active in the United States. With Henry Gage and Michael Naida he co-founded the classical music record label Westminster Records (WR) in 1949. It was one of the earliest LP labels and played a significant role in the Early music revival of the mid 20th century by adding significantly to recordings of Baroque music.[1] In 1966 Grayson co-founded the Handel Society of New York, an organization dedicated to performing operas and oratorios by George Frideric Handel, with Arthur Judson.[2]

Grayson was the head of WR's Artists and repertoire (A&R) division.[1] High Fidelity magazine described him as the "godfather to the Barenboim career"; having shepherded Daniel Barenboim's recordings for a fourteen year period at the onset of his career.[3] Music critic Irving Kolodin stated "Grayson became the founding father of Westminster Records, and foster-father of such young, talented people as guitarists Julian Bream and John Williams, pianists Jörg Demus and Paul Badura-Skoda (as well as Barenboim), and the Amadeus Quartet. He found them, loved them, and lost them, when their reputations were made, to larger companies with bigger bank accounts."[4] Grayson was also head of A&R at Command Records.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Hoffmann, Frank, ed. (2004). "Grayson, James". Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound. Taylor & Francis. p. 914. ISBN 9781135949501.
  2. ^ "Dates and Places". Opera News. Vol. 31. 1966. p. 5.
  3. ^ "Notes from Our Correspondents". High Fidelity. July 1965. p. 22.
  4. ^ Kolodin, Irving (1980). In Quest of Music: A Journey in Time. Doubleday. p. 263. ISBN 0385130619.
  5. ^ Cumming, Robert, ed. (1966). "Record Companies". The Music Journal, 25th Anniversary Issue. Al Vann: 86.
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