Photo by John Cuniberti

In Memory of John Carter
June 14, 1945 – May 10, 2011

John Carter was the A&R man at Capitol / Atlantic Records and is best known for reigniting Tina Turner’s career in the 1980s. Because of Carter’s belief in Tina, her album “Private Dancer” sold more than 20 million copies and made her a global superstar. Carter also worked with Bob Seger, the Steve Miller Band, Sammy Hagar, Bob Welsh and the Motels.

(John had always had a sore spot that his bringing Tina back, was never really recognized by many of his peers in the industry.)

I best remember John Carter as a big fan of mine who believed in me as a writer, producer, artist and engineer. John and I produced several songs on the David Cassidy CD and he was responsible for introducing me to several incredibly talented people such as Judithe and Robin Randall, Kevin Raleigh, Elisa Fiorillo, Shari Belafonte, Logic and Aaron Jacoves who later introduced me to Pamela Phillips Oland.

John knew that as a songwriter, I was always a better “fit” collaborating with a lyricist. It was hard finding people that could write an amazing lyric without having music/melody first. Pamela was one of these people. John felt that I should also meet the mother-daughter writing team Judithe & Robin Randall. I initially started working with Judithe since she was the lyricist of the “duo”. Eventually Robin joined us and our first three way co-write became the single and title track of Shari Belafonte’s CD, “Looking Through The Eyes of Night.” Judithe and Robin had just had their single and hit song with Jefferson Starship “Tomorrow Doesn’t Matter Tonight.”

John was unique individual, like an original song. He always had off the wall and creative ideas to share and inspire. He will be genuinely be missed by me and by many.

Note from Jeff:
I found this tribute to John on Sammy Hagar’s website and it is written so well that I felt compelled to include it:

Carter, the legendary A&R man, producer, songwriter, manager, and lifelong fighter for songs with proper bridges (and, where possible, proper nouns) died on May 10 in Palm Springs. He was 65.

Born John S. Carter in East St. Louis, Illinois, he grew up moving around the West and Midwest, the only child of an oilman and an indefatigable Arthur Godfrey fan.

Carter’s career began in 1967, when he wrote the lyrics to “Incense And Peppermints” by the Strawberry Alarm Clock – a group he renamed by picking words from song titles on the week’s Hot 100 chart. He subsequently became a radio promotion executive for Atlantic Records in San Francisco, where he hired his favorite winos from the Mission District to hand-deliver the Rolling Stones’ Exiles On Main Street to local radio programmers.

Recruited to the A&R department of Capitol Records because of his reputation for spotting hits, Carter worked with Bob Seger and Steve Miller during the periods of their commercial breakthroughs; he also signed – and co-wrote and produced – landmark albums for Sammy Hagar, Bob Welch, and The Motels.

His outstanding creative gifts were taste, language, and wit; above all he was a maker of memes, known on the street as hooks. He collaborated fully with artists, but only contributed to a composition when he sensed a failure to surrender its essence. Fixing a chorus, refurbishing a lyric, adding the telling detail (not infrequently a proper noun) or coming up with an album title or visual image that triangulated with sound and singer to create the ineradicable tattoo of a hit: that was Carter’s calling.

He was, as reported earlier, a stickler for bridges (typically, the new melodic and lyrical information that comes after verse and chorus have repeated a few times). Formal purity was not what drove him, rather the desire to hear every song matter. Unless it was on the level of a “Louie Louie,” Carter believed, any song that wasn’t flush enough to demand a bridge probably didn’t deserve to handle the dice.

In 1983 he overcame powerful corporate opposition to launch an apparent has-been, Tina Turner. He A&R’d her first Capitol album, Private Dancer, and produced several of its tracks, including the title song. The album launched Turner’s years as a global superstar, selling more than 20 million copies.

Carter went on to work at A&M, Atlantic, Chrysalis and Island Records. Yet despite his track record, he often struggled to find colleagues who believed in the artists he loved. When faced with skepticism, Carter leaned on the Ouija and made transformative decisions for fragile careers. He nurtured the songwriting of Tonio K; fought inside battles for David & David and Tori Amos; got Melissa Etheridge a publishing deal with A&M’s affiliate when the label refused to let him sign her.

Carter discovered that he was better able to fight for the talents he revered by working independently as an artist manager. His discoveries include Mark Everett, who records as the Eels, and Paula Cole.

Throughout a life in music that spanned more than forty years, one of Carter’s achievements stands out for its rarity: he has retained the love and respect of nearly everyone he ever worked with, both on the commercial and creative sides of the business. Take as evidence his professional reunion with Sammy Hagar: after decades of unbroken friendship, more than thirty years after they made “Red” together, Hagar invited Carter to manage him. They created the group Chickenfoot, which continues to thrive, along with Hagar’s solo career.
Carter is survived by his wife Christy Carter and his daughter Crosby Carter.

Source: www.redrocker.com/news/carter-1946-2011

Andy Stern

Andrew J. Stern
Law Offices of Andrew J. Stern
6380 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1010
Los Angels, California 90048
(323) 782-8040
email: ajsternlaw@aol.com

As a partner in the firm of Shapiro & Stern, from 1974 – 1976, Andy was involved in the representation of musical artists, including Albert Hammond, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Alan Parsons Project, Ace, the Association and The Kinks, Blood Sweat and Tears, Gerry Rafferty, Steve Perry of Journey, Air Supply and various other performers, producers and songwriters, including Jeff Silverman, Dov Rosenblatt and writers of hit songs recorded by Eddie Money and on the Dirty Dancing album.

Areas of practice include both past and present, contract and immigration matters, as well as entertainment matters. Current practice includes extensive business litigation and federal copyright infringement cases and general civil litigation. Legal representation has included negotiating record deals, production deals, exclusive songwriter agreements, split publishing agreements, foreign distribution and sub-publishing agreements, etc. and writers of such songs as “At The Hop” and songs in the hit film “Dirty Dancing.” Current practice also includes business litigation and federal copyright infringement cases and general civil litigation.

Notes From Jeff:

Andy Stern IS one of those people in my life that deserve a special mention. There is no “thank you” big enough to honor our long time friendship nor his unconditional belief and support he gave to me throughout the years.

Andy and I met way before I signed my production deal with Sound City / Joe Gottfried. Tom Skeeter / Carman Productions. Although still performing with Rick Springfield at the time, I was still writing and producing my own music in search of “the dream” of having my own artist-recording contract. I knew I could only do so much of the “business” on my own and I needed representation. So, after hearing about this attorney in Beverly Hills that represented many INCREDIBLE acts as well as up and coming artists, I decided to reach out and set up a “meet and greet” with Andy.

We immediately hit if off and most importantly, Andy had an affinity for my “dream.” As with any great relationship, things took off and had a path of their own in no time. He represented me through my deal with Carman Productions and continued to guide, advise, introduce and represent me through the HUGE maze of record companies, publishers and very influential music people in Los Angeles and world wide, some of which I am still in contact or doing business with today.

While shopping for the “dream” artist record deal, we had several film / tv cuts where I was the artist for films such as “Nobody’s Fool” “Losin’ It” & “T.J. Hooker.”

Andy also introduced me to a gentleman that became another major influence in my life, the late John Carter. John had an affinity for my artist career, but was much more passionate about my writing and production skills. There’s so much I wanted to say about John, I felt compelled to dedicate a page to him as well. (click here to read about John Carter)

In 1988, Andy sought out and closed many landmark deals in my life such as my staff writer deal with Motown. He represented many song and production contracts with artists such as Kevin Raleigh, Donna Cruz, Jaya, David Cassidy, Tim Weisberg, Nick Gilder, Shari Belafonte and too many other names, indi artists and companies to list. In short, most of the music accomplishments I had in the 70s, 80s and 90s were due to having Andy in the equation in some form or another, either as an advisor or actually being the one negotiating the “deals.” He knew my future was more than just being an artist and encouraged and inspired what has now become, Palette Music Studio Productions.

Over the MANY years, I have recommended many people to Andy for advice, legal or creative and no one has had anything but praises. I’m a walking and living testimonial that A.S. is not just an attorney; he’s a man with a creative passion, an ear for music and talent and will go above and beyond the a-typical attorney/client relationship in all that he does.

Remembering Judithe

In Memory Of Judithe Randall
Died: April 3, 2002

Judithe and Robin Randall and I were brought together by John Carter who was always a big fan of mine as a writer, producer, artist and engineer. We produced the David Cassidy CD together and he was responsible for introducing me to several incredibly talented people such as Judithe & Robin Randall, Kevin Raleigh, Elisa Fiorillo, Shari Belafonte, Logic and Aaron Jacoves who later introduced me to Pamela Phillips Oland.

John knew that as a songwriter, I was always a better “fit” collaborating with a lyricist and it was hard finding people that could write an amazing lyric without having music/melody first. Pamela Phillips Oland was one of those people. John also felt that I should meet the mother-daughter writing team of Judithe and Robin Randall. I started working with Judithe first since she was the lyricist of the “duo”. Eventually Robin joined us and our first song became the single and title track of Shari Belafonte’s CD, “Looking Through The Eyes of Night.” Judithe and Robin had just had their single and hit song with Jefferson Starship “Tomorrow Doesn’t Matter Tonight.”

Judithe and I began writing before e-mails became so prevalent. To start, she preferred not getting together in person and sent me all her lyrics via snail mail. It was a very unusual way of working for me, but once I read her first lyric, a song popped out and I immediately went into production. We wrote our first 3 songs together this way and then broke down and finally met in person!! I was in awe when I went to her lovely home to meet her for the first time. In addition to being an extremely talented lyricist and a lovely soul, she was also an amazing artist. Her artwork was STELLAR!!

[Show as slideshow]

Even before meeting each other, Judithe and I became good friends. She invited me to one of her many “networking” parties, where I met some of the most amazingly talented people. Judithe was a genuine music matchmaker and was always helping talented people that she believed in. Several artists in her “clan” were James Christian from “The House Of Lords” and Marcie (Mark) Free from “Unruly Child.” Both singers were going through a transition period with their careers so Judithe and I both had the luxury of hiring them to sing on our song productions. Judithe also believed in me as a producer/songwriter and not only helped me connect with some incredibly talented and influential people in the music industry; she also helped me pitch my songs all around the world and became one of my dearest friends. Judithe was very “old school” with her enthusiasm towards others. She would take on “heart” projects and give her absolute all to each and every person that she let into her life. It was truly an honor to have known her and to have had her unconditional love and support for many, many years before her passing. Her daughter Robin still remains a VERY dear friend of mine and of course, has the Randall gift of music embedded in her soul.

There were 3 “GO TO” guys that I used on most of my songwriting masters. James Christian, Marcie Free and Stan Bush. All three knew of each other, had success in the past and eventually ended up on the same label as the “From The Vault” Rick Springfield /Jeff Silverman CD. How strange is that!

Some of the many songs Judithe, Robin and I wrote and had covers on were:

Song: Looking Through The Eyes Of Night
(original demo as sung by James Christian)
Written by: Jeff Silverman, Judithe & Robin Randall
(This was the title track for  Shari Belafonte’s “Eyes of Night” CD released by Hansa Musik Production/Internson/Metronome Musik – 1987 – 1988

Artist: James Christian
Album: James Christian – Meet The Man
Song: Circle of Tears
Written by: Jeff Silverman, Judithe Randall
Frontiers Records – 2004

Artist: Jaki Graham
Album: From Now On
EMI Records Ltd – 1989
Song: Nobody’s Fool
Written by: Jeff Silverman, Judithe Randall

To give you even more validation of Judithe’s generous heart, here are some quotes I found from both James Christian and Marcie Free:

To Quote Marcie (aka Mark) Free:

I was working as a driver for a courier service in L.A. and in the meantime I met Judithe and Robin Randall. Once they hired me to sing their demos, they started telling all their other writer friends in L.A. about me and the phone started ringing and well I needed the money really bad so I started singing demos for people. It really helped me to develop further my ability to sing in the studio and I was being paid for it. Cool huh?

www.melodicrock.com/interviews/marciefree.html

To Quote James Christian:

A few years later, A woman names Judithe Randall (God Rest Her Beautiful Soul) had heard a recording that I had done with “EYES” An original song I wrote called “Candle In The Window” She called me and asked if I would consider coming out to California to record some of her songs. I said yes without even thinking about it. I told my band that I needed a few weeks off to go to California and that I would be back right after that. I think they knew better. Anyway, I was off to California, little did I know that when I got there, I would actually feel like a man in a different country. There was absolute culture shock on my part. It is hard to explain but believe me, they acted a lot different than East Coast people. Once I got off the plane, Judithe Randall and her daughter Robin were there to meet me. I thought I was staying at their house, but instead they had arranged another place for me to stay…

www.jameschristianmusic.com/biography.html

Judithe and Robin Randall