Peter John Welding (15 November 1935 – 17 November 1995) was an American historian, archivist, and record producer specializing in jazz and blues.
Born in Philadelphia, United States, [1] Welding worked as a journalist for Down Beat magazine and occasionally freelanced for other publications including Rolling Stone. [2] [3] In 1962 he moved to Chicago and, inspired by Bob Koester at Delmark Records, founded Testament Records in 1963 to issue recordings of blues and black folk song.
As a producer with credits encompassing Blind Connie Williams, Big Joe Williams, [4] Robert Nighthawk, Peg Leg Howell, Doctor Ross, Mississippi Fred McDowell, J. B. Hutto, Bo Diddley, Otis Spann, Jean-Luc Ponty, Charlie Musselwhite, The Jazz Crusaders and Johnny Shines, Welding was known for discovering talent in unusual places. In 1961, while doing research for a prospective album on Philadelphia street singers, he was approached by Herb Gart, [5] who found blues singer Doug Quattlebaum "driving a " Mister Softee" ice cream truck — with his guitar plugged into the truck's amplification system, entertaining the kids with his blues!", resulting in an album financed by Moe of Manny, Moe and Jack ( Pep Boys) eventually titled Softee Man Blues. [6] Notably, he co-produced Quicksilver Messenger Service's debut album with Nick Gravenites and Harvey Brooks in 1968. [7]
In 1993, he was nominated for a Grammy Award with Lawrence Cohn for the liner notes to Roots 'n' Blues the Retrospective (1925-1950) (various artists). [8] Cohn and Welding also produced Leadbelly (Live in Concert), nominated for a Grammy in 1973. [9] [10]
Photographer Raeburn Flerlage, who worked closely with Welding on Down Beat, remembered Welding as unassuming but assertive, with a formidable vocabulary and an "outlandish" sense of humor. [11]
He also contributed sleeve notes to a wide variety of albums, including much of Frank Sinatra's output for Capitol Records. He died, at the age of 60, following a heart attack at his home in Rancho Cucamonga, California on November 17, 1995. [1] He was posthumously inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame in 1996.
References
- ^ a b Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 1994 - 1995". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Lucille | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. 1969-01-04. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Fathers Sons | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. 2001-05-24. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ Giles Oakley (1997). The Devil's Music. Da Capo Press. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-306-80743-5.
- ^ "Herb Gart - Incite Site". Therainbow.com. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ Issue 42 of Record Research (March/April 1962), p.12
- ^ "Pete Welding | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
- ^ "The 35th Grammy Awards Nominations : General Categories - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 2000-01-23. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Obituaries : Pete Welding; Author, Producer of Jazz and Blues Records - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 1995-11-23. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Pete Welding, 60, Authority on Jazz - New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Remembering Pete Welding". Bluesworld.com. Archived from the original on 2012-12-04. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
Peter John Welding (15 November 1935 – 17 November 1995) was an American historian, archivist, and record producer specializing in jazz and blues.
Born in Philadelphia, United States, [1] Welding worked as a journalist for Down Beat magazine and occasionally freelanced for other publications including Rolling Stone. [2] [3] In 1962 he moved to Chicago and, inspired by Bob Koester at Delmark Records, founded Testament Records in 1963 to issue recordings of blues and black folk song.
As a producer with credits encompassing Blind Connie Williams, Big Joe Williams, [4] Robert Nighthawk, Peg Leg Howell, Doctor Ross, Mississippi Fred McDowell, J. B. Hutto, Bo Diddley, Otis Spann, Jean-Luc Ponty, Charlie Musselwhite, The Jazz Crusaders and Johnny Shines, Welding was known for discovering talent in unusual places. In 1961, while doing research for a prospective album on Philadelphia street singers, he was approached by Herb Gart, [5] who found blues singer Doug Quattlebaum "driving a " Mister Softee" ice cream truck — with his guitar plugged into the truck's amplification system, entertaining the kids with his blues!", resulting in an album financed by Moe of Manny, Moe and Jack ( Pep Boys) eventually titled Softee Man Blues. [6] Notably, he co-produced Quicksilver Messenger Service's debut album with Nick Gravenites and Harvey Brooks in 1968. [7]
In 1993, he was nominated for a Grammy Award with Lawrence Cohn for the liner notes to Roots 'n' Blues the Retrospective (1925-1950) (various artists). [8] Cohn and Welding also produced Leadbelly (Live in Concert), nominated for a Grammy in 1973. [9] [10]
Photographer Raeburn Flerlage, who worked closely with Welding on Down Beat, remembered Welding as unassuming but assertive, with a formidable vocabulary and an "outlandish" sense of humor. [11]
He also contributed sleeve notes to a wide variety of albums, including much of Frank Sinatra's output for Capitol Records. He died, at the age of 60, following a heart attack at his home in Rancho Cucamonga, California on November 17, 1995. [1] He was posthumously inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame in 1996.
References
- ^ a b Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 1994 - 1995". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Lucille | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. 1969-01-04. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Fathers Sons | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. 2001-05-24. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ Giles Oakley (1997). The Devil's Music. Da Capo Press. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-306-80743-5.
- ^ "Herb Gart - Incite Site". Therainbow.com. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ Issue 42 of Record Research (March/April 1962), p.12
- ^ "Pete Welding | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
- ^ "The 35th Grammy Awards Nominations : General Categories - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 2000-01-23. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Obituaries : Pete Welding; Author, Producer of Jazz and Blues Records - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 1995-11-23. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Pete Welding, 60, Authority on Jazz - New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Remembering Pete Welding". Bluesworld.com. Archived from the original on 2012-12-04. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |