The year was 1962 and the location was a garage in Hollywood. Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss started A&M Records, kicking off their new label with the hit single The Lonely Bull by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.
Herb Alpert (A) and Jerry Moss (M) of A&M Records
Before long, their label was a major force in the industry, one that is being celebrated on the new three-CD set A&M 50: The Anniversary Collection.
The roster that the two men built was multi-genre, from the Mexican sounds of the Tijuana Brass and the Baja Marimba Band to the pop of the Carpenters and Sergio Mendes to the rock of Procol Harum, Supertramp and the Police to the R&B of Janet Jackson and the Brothers Johnson to the jazz of Chuck Mangione and Quincy Jones.
“We wanted to make good records,” says Herb Alpert, reflecting on the label’s genesis. “That was our goal. We felt if we made good records there would be an audience.
Track List:
Disc 1 – From AM to FM
The Lonely Bull – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
Mas Que Nada – Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66
You Were On My Mind – We Five
The More I See You – Chris Montez
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher – Rita Coolidge
A House Is Not A Home – Burt Bacharach
(They Long to Be) Close To You – Carpenters
Wild World – Cat Stevens
Don’t You Want Me – The Human League
Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain & Tennille
Whatcha Gonna Do – Pablo Cruise
Sun Down – Lani Hall
Baby Baby – Amy Grant
I Just Wanna Stop – Gino Vannelli
Luka – Suzanne Vega
The Lady in Red – Chris de Burgh
Love and Affection – Joan Armatrading
Red Red Wine – UB40
Diamonds and Rust – Joan Baez
Rise – Herb Alpert
All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow
Disc 2 – A Mission to Rock
Roxanne – The Police
The Letter – Joe Cocker
All Right Now – Free
Jackie Blue – The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
30 Days In the Hole – Humble Pie
Steppin’ Out – Joe Jackson
Hot Burrito #1 – The Flying Burrito Brothers
Conquistador (live) – Procol Harum
Come Sail Away – Styx
I Got You – Split Enz
Tempted – Squeeze
Show Me The Way – Peter Frampton
Run To You – Bryan Adams
Love Hurts – Nazareth
The Logical Song – Supertramp
Caught Up in You – 38 Special
Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds
Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free – Sting
Disc 3 – Soul Jazz And More
Back in Love Again – L.T.D.
Black Pearl – Sonny Charles & The Checkmates Ltd.
Europa – Gato Barbieri
I’ll Be Good to You – The Brothers Johnson
Everybody Plays The Fool – Aaron Neville
Will It Go Round in Circles – Billy Preston
Bridges – Milton Nascimento
Feels So Good – Chuck Mangione
Livin’ It Up (Friday Night) – Bell & James
Wave – Antonio Carlos Jobim
On The Wings of Love – Jeffrey Osborne
Summertime – Paul Desmond
Stuff Like That – Quincy Jones feat. Ashford, Simpson & Khan
Secret Lovers – Atlantic Starr
Crazay – Jesse Johnson feat. Sly Stone
Amorous Cat – Stan Getz
Finally – CeCe Peniston
Practice What You Preach – Barry White
Skokiaan – Herb Alpert & Hugh Masekela
When I Think of You – Janet Jackson
