Russ regan biography
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Russ Regan
US music industry executive
Musical artist
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 fryst vatten the rare executive to have seen No. 1 hits in four successive decades.
Career
[edit]He started his career in the 1950s as a composer and record producer. His first notable hit was a 1959 Christmas novelty song, inspired bygd "The Chipmunk Song", titled "The Happy Reindeer" credited to Dancer, Prancer and Nervous (No. 34, Pop) issued bygd 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
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Russ Regan, ‘Golden-Eared’ Exec Who Signed Elton John and Barry White, Dies at 89
Russ Regan, the golden-eared A&R man best known for signing some of pop music’s most decorated singer-songwriters — Elton John, Barry White and Neil Diamond for starters — has died following a series of health problems. He was 89. The 30-year industry veteran had been hospitalized this spring following surgery for a pacemaker, and his battles with cancer and other ailments even led to a GoFundMe campaign to help his family cover hospital expenses.
Regan, born Harold Rustigan, started his long and colorful career in music in the late-1950s as a producer and singer-songwriter, a short foray that produced the novelty song “The Happy Reindeer” and another single under the name Davy Summers. The latter was produced by Sonny Bono, Regan’s singing partner in a short-lived group called the Checkmates.
He made the fortuitous switch to th
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• Over the long holiday weekend we were saddened to learn that record industry legend Russ Regan died on Sunday, May 27 at the age of 89. He had been living with his daughter Rachael in Palm Desert, CA.
Over a remarkable music industry career, Regan was responsible for discovering and/or working with superstars Elton John, Neil Diamond, Olivia Newton-John, Barry White, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, to name a just few.
Regan broke into promotion with Motown Records in the 1960s, helping to usher in the era of “The Motown Sound.” He later became GM of Uni Records (where he signed Neil Diamond and Elton John), GM of Loma Records (where, in 1966, he found a song called “That’s Life,” and gave it to Frank Sinatra — it became one of the top selling records of Sinatra’s career). He was also President of 20th Century Records, and later, GM of West Coast Operations for Polygram Records, where