Several
times in a generation, an individual stands out above the
rest, forging a course that will in time be characterized
as that which helps to define the generation itself. During
the late 1950's and throughout the 1960's, legends were
made when such men and women created what was to become
rhythm & blues and rock & roll. This golden era, which gave
birth to the likes of Phil
Spector, Jerry
Leiber
and Mike
Stoller, gave us a man whose music and vision
played an indispensable part in the formative years of contemporary
pop culture. This man, whose music transcended color and
ethnicity, incorporated the sounds of deep soul, gospel,
Latin rhythm and the blues, to become one of the era's most
important songwriters and producers. This man was Bertrand
Russell Berns.
Born in the Bronx on November 8, 1929 to Russian Jewish
immigrants, Bert Berns began his life in music with the
study of classical piano. A bout with rheumatic fever in
his teens would have a lasting and dramatic influence on
the rest of his life, forcing the young man to come to terms
with the reality that he would have to make the most of
his remaining days. Young Bert resolved not to let his scarred
heart slow him down, and dedicated himself to his love for
the music that filled the air of his multi-cultural city.
In
his twenties, Berns worked as a record salesman, music copyist
and session pianist, hustling penniless for years to attract
the attention of the Broadway establishment. An adventurous
man with a zest for life, Berns later spent time working
in pre-Castro Havana nightclubs, where he continued to develop
a passion for Latin-American music that had been sparked
by hearing Puerto Rican salsa in New York City. Upon returning
to the city of his birth, Berns began working as a writer
for Bobby Mellin
at 1650 Broadway, across the street from the famous Brill
Building. It was here that Bert Berns' seven
year run as one of the music industry's master songwriters
and producers began.
During
the early 1960's, Bert Berns, under the pen name Bert
Russell, wrote hit after hit for a wide variety
of artists and record labels. He also made an attempt ,
under the pseudonym Russell
Byrd, at a career as a performing artist, even
appearing on a lost episode of American
Bandstand. His compositions appeared on records
from such New York labels as Wand,
Laurie, Jubilee, Symbol, Roulette,
Big Top, Old Town, Cameo, MGM,
Diamond, Atlantic, Scepter,
and United
Artists. "A Little Bit Of Soap," recorded
by The Jarmels
on Laurie
in 1961, was his first big success. "Tell Him" by
The Exciters
in 1962 was his next chart-topping single. "Twist and
Shout," originally written for The
Top Notes on Atlantic,
became a hit for the The
Isley Brothers on Wand
Records in 1962, with Berns both writing and
producing the Latin-inspired classic. Two years later, after
a one-take, end of session recording in London, the song
became immortalized by The
Beatles. Other early songs by Berns, including
"Cry To Me" and "Down In The Valley" (Solomon
Burke), "Cry Baby" (Garnet
Mimms), "If I Didn't Have A Dime" (Gene
Pitney) and "Killer Joe" (The
Kingsmen), also found chart success. Now everyone
was taking notice of this extraordinary talent, and with
the partnership that was about to develop between Berns
and Atlantic
Records, Bert Berns' star would continue to rise.
At
Atlantic,
Berns took over in 1963 from Leiber
and Stoller
in the dual role of resident songwriter-producer. In the
vein of the renowned producers that he followed, Berns did
everything from writing the songs to finding the singers,
supervising the sessions, and working the finished product.
An incredibly powerful force in the studio, Berns emerged
as a producer who, according to Charlie
Gillett in the acclaimed Sound
Of The City, was "able to bring out the best
in the singers without imposing himself too demandingly
onto the overall sound." Although, his presence was always
felt on his records, Berns allowed the singers to keep close
to their natural styles while inspiring them to exceed their
normal range of expression.
Such
was the case with the Drifter's 1964 recordings of "Under
The Boardwalk" and "Saturday Night At The Movies,"
Barbara Lewis'
performance of "Baby I'm Yours" and "Make Me Your
Baby," Esther
Phillips' rendition of "Hello Walls,"
Ben E. King's
"That's When It Hurts" and nearly all of Solomon
Burke's
classics, including "Cry To Me," "Everybody Needs
Somebody To Love," "Down In The Valley" and "Goodbye
Baby (Baby Goodbye)." Bert Berns has been variously
described as a "soul savant" and a "backroom white soul
brother of the Sixties" who was consistently able to capture
the emotional presence of his artists and translate that
intangible quality into the rhythms and melodies for which
they are remembered.
In 1965, with his songs and productions all over the Pop
and R&B charts, Berns formed WEB
IV Music with his partners at Atlantic
Records. The publishing company, which derived
its name from Gerry
Wexler (W), Ahmet
Ertegun (E), Berns
(B), and Neshui
Ertegun (IV), provided songs from Berns' repertoire
to such artists as Garnet Mimms ("It Was Easier
To Hurt Her"), Ben
E. King
("Cry No More" and "That's When It Hurts"),
The Drifters
("Up In The Streets Of Harlem"), Tammi
Lynn ("I'm Gonna Run Away From You"),
and Freddie
Scott ("Are You Lonely For Me Baby," "Who
Could Ever Love You"). Later that year, with the momentum
ever increasing, Bert Berns set up his own labels, Bang
and Shout Records.
Like
WEB IV Music,
Bang Records
was created by and named after its four founding partners,
Bert,
Ahmet,
Neshui and Gerry.
Bang achieved immediate success in the pop
market as Berns filled the label's roster with artists such
as The Strangeloves,
The McCoys, Neil Diamond, and Van
Morrison. "I Want Candy," co-written by
Berns, was Bang's
first big hit. Shortly thereafter, Bang
had its first number one record with The
McCoys', as a young Rick
Derringer
took Berns' "Hang On Sloopy" to the top of
the charts. Neil
Diamond, who had been introduced to Bang
Records by one of Berns' closest friends, songwriter
Jeff Barry,
had his first taste of success on Berns' label, including
the early smash hits "Cherry Cherry," "Kentucky
Woman," "Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon" and "Solitary
Man." Shout
Records,
Bang's R&B affiliate, was an equally successful
label, where Berns cultivated such phenomenal talents as
Erma Franklin
("Piece Of My Heart") and Freddie
Scott ("Are You Lonely For Me Baby").
It
was Berns' relationship with Van
Morrison, however, that perhaps best personifies
the man's genius as record industry executive / songwriter
/ producer. During his stint as Atlantic
Record's in-house producer in 1964, Berns spent
time in London working with Decca
Records, where he produced several hits for Van
Morrison's Them. After enjoying success on the
British charts with his productions of "Gloria,"
"Baby Please Don't Go," and "Here Come The Night,"
(the last of which was written by Berns, and all of which
feature Jimmy
Page playing session guitar), Berns went on to
champion Van
Morrison's solo career.
After
sending the young Irish singer-songwriter a one-way ticket
to New York City, Berns produced and released on Bang
the classic album "Blowin' Your Mind," which included
the timeless single "Brown Eyed Girl." Always the
turbulent, tempestuous rebel, Morrison fought Berns in the
studio nearly every step of the way. But none can doubt
the genius that emerged from those sessions when these two
musical giants hammered out what is some 
of
Van Morrison's
best work to date.
On
the night of December 30, 1967, at the zenith of his life
and career, Bertrand
Russell Berns was taken from us. He died of heart
failure at only 38 years of age. Many have since written
that with his loss, the music world lost something even
greater, suggesting that the golden era of deep soul died
with him. But his music lives on, and through his music
we can feel the emotional presence of this soul avatar who
touched and shaped the lives of so many.
Once,
when describing the impact of his artist Neil
Diamond, Bert Berns said that "every generation
yields one truly great individual who stands out among all
others due to style, originality, creativeness, sustaining
power, and genius." Now over thirty-five years after
his death, these same words apply ever so appropriately
to this man, who has given us all that time would allow
him, and more than we ever imagined.
-
Brett Berns 2002
