Harold Shedd
Encyclopedia
Harold Shedd is a music industry executive
and producer
, best known for his role as producer of the country group Alabama
as well as Reba McEntire
, Shania Twain
and Toby Keith
. During his career he has headed Mercury Records
and Mercury's sister label, Polydor.
, where he was a member of a local band and worked in radio for fourteen years as DJ, engineer, sales manager and finally station owner. In 1972, he sold up and moved to Nashville
, where by 1979 he was co-owner of the Music Mill recording studio.
Shedd was instrumental in Alabama, one of the first acts he worked with, being signed by RCA
. The band’s debut single 'Tennessee River'
was the first of Alabama's 21 consecutive number one hits that he produced.
Shedd also produced albums for Amie Comeaux
, Roger Miller
, Mel Tillis
, Louise Mandrell
, Dobie Gray
, K. T. Oslin
, Glen Campbell
and Willie Nelson
. While Reba McEntire
had had top 10 singles, it was only with her collaboration with Shedd that she saw her first gold record, 1984’s My Kind of Country album, although the pair came into conflict over his suggestions for songs and "the sweetened arrangements he imposed on them".
In 1988 Shedd joined Mercury Polygram Records Nashville, where over the next six years, he oversaw the signing of Kentucky Headhunters, Shania Twain
, Billy Ray Cyrus
, Toby Keith
and Kathy Mattea
. In 1989 Shedd was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
After a period as President of Polydor Nashville, The Music Mill recording studio became the headquarters of VFR Records, owned by Shedd with partners Paul Lucks and Ed Arnold, for a time one of Nashville's more successful independent country labels, whose artists included Mark McGuinn
and Trent Summar & The New Row Mob
. VFR folded in 2002 due to a lack of funding.
Music executive
A music executive or record executive is person within a record label who works in senior management, making executive decisions over the label's artists...
and producer
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...
, best known for his role as producer of the country group Alabama
Alabama (band)
Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook...
as well as Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
, Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
and Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
. During his career he has headed Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
and Mercury's sister label, Polydor.
Life and work
Born November 8, 1931, Shedd began work in his hometown of Bremen, GeorgiaBremen, Georgia
Bremen is a city in Haralson County and Carroll County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,227.Locally the name of the city is pronounced BREE-muhn...
, where he was a member of a local band and worked in radio for fourteen years as DJ, engineer, sales manager and finally station owner. In 1972, he sold up and moved to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, where by 1979 he was co-owner of the Music Mill recording studio.
Shedd was instrumental in Alabama, one of the first acts he worked with, being signed by RCA
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. The band’s debut single 'Tennessee River'
Tennessee River (song)
"Tennessee River" is a song made famous by the country music band Alabama. Written by the group's lead singer, Randy Owen, the song was released in 1980, and eventually became the group's first No...
was the first of Alabama's 21 consecutive number one hits that he produced.
Shedd also produced albums for Amie Comeaux
Amie Comeaux
Amie Noelle Comeaux was an American country music singer who gained fame in her teens. Her debut album, Moving Out, was released on Polydor Records in 1994, and it produced the single "Who's She to You", a #64 on the Billboard country charts...
, Roger Miller
Roger Miller
Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
, Mel Tillis
Mel Tillis
Lonnie Melvin Tillis , known professionally as Mel Tillis, is an American country music singer. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s, with a long list of Top 10 hits....
, Louise Mandrell
Louise Mandrell
Thelma Louise Mandrell, also known as Louise Mandrell, was born July 13, 1954 and is an American country music singer. She is the younger sister of country singer Barbara Mandrell, and older sister of actress Irlene Mandrell. Louise had a successful singing career in country music with a string of...
, Dobie Gray
Dobie Gray
Dobie Gray is an African American singer and songwriter, whose musical career has spanned soul, country, pop and musical theater...
, K. T. Oslin
K. T. Oslin
Kay Toinette "K. T." Oslin is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is known for a series of top-ten country hits during the late 1980s and early 1990s, four of which topped the chart.-Early life and career:...
, Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
and Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
. While Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
had had top 10 singles, it was only with her collaboration with Shedd that she saw her first gold record, 1984’s My Kind of Country album, although the pair came into conflict over his suggestions for songs and "the sweetened arrangements he imposed on them".
In 1988 Shedd joined Mercury Polygram Records Nashville, where over the next six years, he oversaw the signing of Kentucky Headhunters, Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
, Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus
William "Billy" Ray Cyrus is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist, who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon...
, Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
and Kathy Mattea
Kathy Mattea
Kathleen Alice "Kathy" Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass performer who often brings folk, Celtic and traditional country sounds to her music. Active since 1983 as a recording artist, she has recorded seventeen albums and has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot...
. In 1989 Shedd was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
After a period as President of Polydor Nashville, The Music Mill recording studio became the headquarters of VFR Records, owned by Shedd with partners Paul Lucks and Ed Arnold, for a time one of Nashville's more successful independent country labels, whose artists included Mark McGuinn
Mark McGuinn
-Track listing:# "Mrs. Steven Rudy" - 3:29# "Heaven Must Be Missin' You" - 3:41# "No Way" - 2:29# "That's a Plan" -Track listing:# "Mrs. Steven Rudy" (Mark McGuinn, Shane Decker) - 3:29# "Heaven Must Be Missin' You" (McGuinn, Trey Matthews) - 3:41# "No Way" (McGuinn, Matthews) - 2:29# "That's a...
and Trent Summar & The New Row Mob
Trent Summar & The New Row Mob
Trent Summar & The New Row Mob is an American country music group from the state of Tennessee. Its members comprise Trent Summar , Ken McMahan , Dan Baird , Dave Kennedy , and Michael "Supe" Granda...
. VFR folded in 2002 due to a lack of funding.