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Dave Miller (producer)
Encyclopedia
Dave Miller was a record producer
and the founder of many budget album record companies.
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
in 1951. The label had local popular success, being know mostly for its release of the early Bill Haley & His Comets
recordings.
Miller originally changed the name of the group from the "Four Aces of Western Swing" to "Bill Haley and the Saddlemen" then repeated a suggestion that the group change their name to the Comets after Haley's Comet.
After the group was signed to Decca Records
, Miller was sued by Haley for selling the group's former hits on his Essex label without paying royalties. Miller went bankrupt.
The name of Somerset high fidelity
albums was suggested by Miller International's West Coast Distributor Jimmy Warren with the name of Stereo Fidelity (stereo albums) thought of by Wally Hill to capitalise on the public's interest in both high fidelity
and sterophonic sound.
The economy came from Miller starting his own record factory in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
, using public domain music and non union musicians from outside the United States to record cover version
s of hit songs of the time. Many original tunes were written by Monty Kelly, Robert Lowden and Joseph Kuhn with the music published by Miller's own music publisher Chesdel Music created in 1962.
Miller had his own distribution channels of his records in supermarkets and drugstores with the cheap albums being sold in metal racks similar to those holding paperback books or cardboard record holders called "dumps" that could be placed anywhere. Miller's record album's were sold wholesale for 93 cents to salesmen who sold them to merchants who sold them to the publilc for $1.98. Somerset Records used artist Chic Laganella to create attractive eye catching album cover
s.
Miller used the name 101 Strings
for several German orchestras; their first album appearing in September 1957. In 1958 Somerset released 24 101 Strings titles.
Miller International's philosophy after their experience with Essex Records was that recording "hits" was too unstable, and recording for teenagers and "sophisticates" was unprofitable as the two types bought "fads". Miller said he didn't want to record anything that would not sell ten years in the future.
In 1959 Miller signed the London Philharmonic Orchestra
to his label and had his Somerset albums distributed in the United Kingdom by Pye Records
. Disques Vogue
of France followed soon afterwards.
Miller sold Somerset to Al Sherman in 1963 but remained credited as a producer on the albums when Sherman changed the name to Alshire Records; though the name Somerset was still used for some albums.
Miller formed Europa Records in Germany to do to European record sales what Somerset did to the American record industry.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and the founder of many budget album record companies.
Biography
Following World War II service in the US Navy along with his brother Paul, the two returning veterans formed their first record company with their own savings and those of their father Albert, naming their company Palda (Paul ALbert and DAvid) in Philadelphia, eventually buying out their father's share.Essex Records
David became the founder of Essex RecordsEssex Records
Essex Records was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1951 by David Miller primarily to record contemporary country and western, rhythm and blues as well as jazz and gospel. Jack Howard was the promotion manager. The label had little popular success. They issued a 1954 single called "Oh, Mein...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 1951. The label had local popular success, being know mostly for its release of the early Bill Haley & His Comets
Bill Haley & His Comets
Bill Haley & His Comets was an American rock and roll band that was founded in 1952 and continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band, also known by the names Bill Haley and The Comets and Bill Haley's Comets , was the earliest group of white musicians to bring rock and roll to the attention of...
recordings.
Miller originally changed the name of the group from the "Four Aces of Western Swing" to "Bill Haley and the Saddlemen" then repeated a suggestion that the group change their name to the Comets after Haley's Comet.
After the group was signed to Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, Miller was sued by Haley for selling the group's former hits on his Essex label without paying royalties. Miller went bankrupt.
Somerset Records
Under his Miller International Company formed in 1957 with his Essex Records office manager George Phillips, he founded Somerset Records and Somerset Stereo Fidelity Records budget albums. Miller's greatest claim to fame was selling large amounts of cheaply priced albums, with Somerset claiming to have manufactured the first stereo budget albums.The name of Somerset high fidelity
High fidelity
High fidelity—or hi-fi—reproduction is a term used by home stereo listeners and home audio enthusiasts to refer to high-quality reproduction of sound or images, to distinguish it from the poorer quality sound produced by inexpensive audio equipment...
albums was suggested by Miller International's West Coast Distributor Jimmy Warren with the name of Stereo Fidelity (stereo albums) thought of by Wally Hill to capitalise on the public's interest in both high fidelity
High fidelity
High fidelity—or hi-fi—reproduction is a term used by home stereo listeners and home audio enthusiasts to refer to high-quality reproduction of sound or images, to distinguish it from the poorer quality sound produced by inexpensive audio equipment...
and sterophonic sound.
The economy came from Miller starting his own record factory in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Swarthmore is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Swarthmore was originally named Westdale in honor of noted painter Benjamin West, who was one of the early residents of the town. The name was changed to Swarthmore after the establishment of Swarthmore College...
, using public domain music and non union musicians from outside the United States to record cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of hit songs of the time. Many original tunes were written by Monty Kelly, Robert Lowden and Joseph Kuhn with the music published by Miller's own music publisher Chesdel Music created in 1962.
Miller had his own distribution channels of his records in supermarkets and drugstores with the cheap albums being sold in metal racks similar to those holding paperback books or cardboard record holders called "dumps" that could be placed anywhere. Miller's record album's were sold wholesale for 93 cents to salesmen who sold them to merchants who sold them to the publilc for $1.98. Somerset Records used artist Chic Laganella to create attractive eye catching album cover
Album cover
An album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
s.
Miller used the name 101 Strings
101 Strings
101 Strings Orchestra was a brand for a highly successful easy listening symphonic music organization, with a discography exceeding a hundred albums and a creative lifetime of roughly thirty years. Their LPs were individualized by the slogan "The Sound of Magnificence", a puffy cloud logo and...
for several German orchestras; their first album appearing in September 1957. In 1958 Somerset released 24 101 Strings titles.
Miller International's philosophy after their experience with Essex Records was that recording "hits" was too unstable, and recording for teenagers and "sophisticates" was unprofitable as the two types bought "fads". Miller said he didn't want to record anything that would not sell ten years in the future.
In 1959 Miller signed the London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra
The London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
to his label and had his Somerset albums distributed in the United Kingdom by Pye Records
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
. Disques Vogue
Disques Vogue
Disques Vogue was founded in France in 1947, the same year that the USA Vogue closed shop. They originally specialized in jazz recordings, featuring such artists as Sidney Bechet, Django Reinhardt, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, and Errol Garner. In the late 1950s Vogue expanded into pop music,...
of France followed soon afterwards.
Miller sold Somerset to Al Sherman in 1963 but remained credited as a producer on the albums when Sherman changed the name to Alshire Records; though the name Somerset was still used for some albums.
Miller formed Europa Records in Germany to do to European record sales what Somerset did to the American record industry.