Dick Rowe

Richard Paul "Dick" Rowe (9 June 1921 – 6 June 1986) was Head of A&R (Singles) at Decca Records from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Dick Rowe
Born
Richard Paul Rowe

9 June 1921
Died6 June 1986
OccupationRecord producer, music executive
Known forHead of A&R singles at Decca Records

He is historically presented in popular musical history as the man who did not sign the Beatles.[1] In Brian Epstein's 1964 autobiography, Rowe is quoted as having rejected them with the words: "Guitar groups are on their way out, Mr. Epstein", although he denied ever having said this.[1] He later signed the Rolling Stones after their audition, thanks to an introduction and encouragement from Harrison.

Career

He was one of the most important producers and record executives in the United Kingdom in the 1950s and early 1960s and is the man who signed the Rolling Stones, Them (Van Morrison), the Moody Blues, the Tremeloes, the Zombies, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, the Brumbeats, the Tornados, Tom Jones, the Small Faces, the Marmalade, Billy Fury, Tommy Steele, Animals, Cat Stevens, Procol Harum, Kathy Kirby, Gilbert O Sullivan, the Circus and Eternal Triangle amongst others. Rowe rejected The Beatles (in fact one of his A&R team Mike Smith, brought two deals to Rowe, his boss, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes and the Beatles, and unfortunately he only allowed him to sign one deal the group that lived in London, who actually had more initial success than the Beatles - sadly the wrong decision). However, declaring that "guitar bands are on their way out"; the Beatles went on to land a recording contract with EMI/Parlophone and become the biggest selling and most influential rock band of all time.

List of production

As a producer he had several number ones in the singles chart, and his discography includes:

Legacy

Rowe left Decca in 1975. He died of diabetes on 6 June 1986. His son, Richard Rowe a solicitor worked at CBS Records/Sony Records and was president of SonyATV music publishing (and made the deal to create a joint partnership with Michael Jackson to publish the Beatles catalogue as Sony/ATV when he ran the publishing division of Sony Music).

References
  1. Viner, Brian (12 February 2012). "The man who rejected the Beatles". The Independent.


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