Bob Shad

by Ron WynnBob Shad was not only an outstanding jazz producer, but he supervised several major blues, pop, rock and R&B dates. Shad started his production career with Savoy in the '40s, producing jazz sessions for Charlie Parker and blues and R&B albums for National. He founded the Sittin' In With label in 1948 and produced albums by Lightnin' Hopkins, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Smokey Hogg, Peppermint Harris and Curley Weaver as well as jazz and R&B albums. Shad became director of Artists and Repertory (A&R) for Mercury in 1951 and launched its EmArcy division, producing dates by Sarah Vaughan, Maynard Ferguson, the Clifford Brown/Max Roach quintet and Dinah Washington among many others. Shad produced Washington's first album with strings, which proved a huge hit. He also supervised pop dates by Patti Page and Vic Damone, R&B by The Platters and blues sessions by Hopkins, Big Bill Broonzy and several others. Shad founded Mainstream in the '60s after leaving Mercury and re-issued several Sittin' In With albums as well as new dates by Shelly Manne, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Haynes, Buddy Terry, Pete Yellin and others. He continued at Mainstream through the '70s and also served as a producer for the debuts of Ted Nugent and Janis Joplin.