Mike Curb
Encyclopedia
Michael Curb is an American
musician
, record company executive, NASCAR
and IRL race car owner. A Republican
, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California
from 1979-1983 under Democratic
Governor
Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr.
He was acting governor of California while Brown spent time outside of California pursuing presidential ambitions. He is also the founder of Curb Records
.
Curb is of Mexican
heritage.
(a predecessor of Curb Records) launched the careers of West Coast
rock and roll
artists such as the Stone Poneys
(featuring Linda Ronstadt
), The Arrows
(featuring Davie Allan
) and the Electric Flag
(featuring Mike Bloomfield
and Buddy Miles
).
Curb scored the music for the short film, Skaterdater
(1965); he later scored
Peter Fonda
's Wild Angels
(1966) and The Born Losers
(1967) - the first of the Billy Jack
films - among others. In 1969, he merged his company with MGM and became President of MGM Records and Verve Records
. Curb composed or supervised over 50 motion picture soundtracks and wrote over 400 songs.
Curb organized his own musical group, The Mike Curb Congregation in the 1960s; they had a Top 40 pop hit in early 1971 with the title cut from their album Burning Bridges (written and composed by Lalo Schifrin
and Mike Curb) which was used as the theme of Clint Eastwood's film Kelly's Heroes
. They also sang the theme from The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart and had a hit recording of "It's a Small World." The group was featured on Sammy Davis, Jr.
's number-one Billboard Hot 100
hit of 1972, "The Candy Man
" (the Aubrey Woods
version was featured in the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
) and in 1978, the Mike Curb Congregation was featured in the musical The Magic of Lassie
, starring James Stewart
. They recorded "Together, a New Beginning" in 1980, the theme song for Ronald Reagan
's successful presidential bid that year. The Mike Curb Congregation were weekly regulars on Glen Campbell's CBS' National Network Television Show.
In 1969, Curb signed Christian rock pioneer Larry Norman
to Capitol Records
.
In the 1970s, Curb wrote for and produced Roy Orbison
, the Osmond Family, Lou Rawls
, Sammy Davis, Jr.
and Solomon Burke
; he also signed artists such as the Sylvers
, Eric Burdon
, War
, Richie Havens
, the Five Man Electrical Band
, Gloria Gaynor
, Johnny Bristol
, Exile and The Four Seasons. He ran a short-lived country music subsidiary label for Motown called Hitsville Records. Curb composed "It Was a Good Time" for Liza Minnelli's Emmy Award Winning "Liza with a Z". He also received BMI awards for composing "Burning Bridges" for Clint Eastwood's "Kelly's Heroes" and for composing "All for the Love of Sunshine
" which was Hank Williams, Jr's. first #1 Record.
and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention
, though by 1969, Zappa had fulfilled his MGM/Verve contract and moved to his own Bizarre Records
label, distributed by Warner Bros.
Billboard reported that Curb was alarmed by the drug-related deaths of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix
, and Al Wilson of Canned Heat
.
Curb claimed he had industry support, but the only record company official he cited, Bill Gallagher, the president of Paramount Records
, contradicted him. Columbia Records president Clive Davis said Curb was "grandstanding," and that his anti-drug stance had made him "a minor hero of the Nixon administration." In 1997, Curb said the affair had happened at a time when "you were considered a freak if you spoke out against drugs."
, Curb was elected lieutenant governor
of California
in 1978, defeating the incumbent Democrat, Mervyn M. Dymally
. Democratic
candidate Jerry Brown
was re-elected governor in the same year. During much of Brown's 1979-1980 bid to become the Democratic presidential candidate, Curb served as acting governor
, vetoing legislation, issuing executive orders and making appointments; actions the California's Supreme Court upheld as Curb's constitutional prerogative. Curb worked with Harvey Milk
on the campaign against the Briggs Initiative and persuaded Reagan to oppose it, leading to its defeat. Curb has been a leading conservative advocate of gay rights ever since.
Curb lost the 1982 Republican gubernatorial nomination to California attorney general George Deukmejian
. In 1986, Curb ran again for lieutenant governor as the Republican nominee against the incumbent Democrat Leo T. McCarthy
in a bitterly contested race that largely centered around punishment for drug trafficking and violent crimes. A vocal opponent of drug use, Curb advocated extension of the death penalty to include drug pushers whose narcotics trafficking resulted in a death. In his speeches and campaign ads, McCarthy sought to denigrate Curb's image with Republican voters as an anti-drug proponent by alleging that Curb made a fortune in making films that glorified drugs, sex, and violence. Curb was so incensed at McCarthy's allegations that he filed a $7-million libel and slander suit against McCarthy, stating that McCarthy "went too far because he lied about a business. There will be many, many years of severe damage to my company and my reputation." In particular, Curb stated that McCarthy's charge that Curb had made a "fortune" on exploitation movies was "false on its face" and had damaged Curb's "campaign for public office, his business and...his standing in the community." McCarthy won the election, and no Republican has been elected lieutenant governor of California since Curb left office.
. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee
, in 1994, where his company records for artists such as Wynonna Judd
, LeAnn Rimes
, Hank Williams, Jr.
, Hank III, Tim McGraw
, Kimberley Locke
, Sawyer Brown
, Rodney Atkins
, Steve Holy
, Heidi Newfield
and others. Curb is an equity partner in the gospel music
company Word Label Group
, in cooperation with Warner Music Group
.
enthusiast, Curb is a co-owner of the CURB/Agajanian/3G Racing, a team that has since suspended operations in NASCAR
's Nationwide Series. Curb's sponsorship and ownership have included three of NASCAR's most celebrated drivers: he previously owned Richard Petty
's famed #43 in 1984 and 1985, including the 199th and 200th career wins for Petty. Curb was also a sponsor for Dale Earnhardt
during his 1980 Winston Cup championship winning season, and sponsored Darrell Waltrip
's #12 Toyota Tundra in the Craftsman Truck Series
, driven by Joey Miller
in 2006. Curb-Agajanian also run cars for many years in the Indianapolis 500
with drivers including Billy Boat
and Jaques Lazier
.
In November 2007, Curb purchased the remaining interest in Brewco Motorsports from Clarence Brewer of Central City, Kentucky
, making him co-owner with Gary Baker. Forming Baker-Curb Motorsports competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series from 2008 until 2010 in the #27 and #37 cars until lack of sponsorship forced the team to suspend operations half way through the 2010 season as well as for the whole 2011 racing season. Curb also co-owned a car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for a couple races in 2011 Curb is the co-owner of the car along with Richard Childress
of the #98 car driven by driver Austin Dillon
, With the possibility of returning to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2012 for a limited schedule. Operations have been moved to Nashville, TN.
, Curb has become a civic leader and benefactor of Belmont University
, where his donation toward the construction of a new arena resulted in it being named the Curb Event Center
. The University also runs "The Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business." He also endowed the Curb Center and the Curb Creative Campus program at Vanderbilt University
and the Mike Curb Institute of Music at Rhodes College
in Memphis
.
In 2001, Curb was inducted into the Junior Achievement
U.S. Business Hall of Fame.
In 2003, Curb was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame.
In August 2006, Curb pledged $10 million to California State University, Northridge
(in Los Angeles
) to endow his alma mater's arts college and provide a lead gift for the university's planned regional performing arts center that will serve as a "learning laboratory" for students. Of the $10 million gift, $5 million will support CSUN's College of Arts, Media, and Communication, one of the university's largest colleges that offers degree and certificate programs for more than 4,400 students. Four million of that will go into a general endowment for the college, and $1 million will endow a faculty chair specializing in music industry studies. As a result, the college was named in his honor.
On June 29, 2007, Curb was honored with the 2,341st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
.
On October 21, 2010, CSU Channel Islands dedicated the Mike Curb Studio in Napa Hall on the Camarillo, CA university campus. The studio provides a new film and video production and post-production facility to the campus.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, record company executive, NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
and IRL race car owner. A Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California
Lieutenant Governor of California
The Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the Governor who serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The Lieutenant Governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms...
from 1979-1983 under Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr.
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
He was acting governor of California while Brown spent time outside of California pursuing presidential ambitions. He is also the founder of Curb Records
Curb Records
Curb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963...
.
Curb is of Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
heritage.
Early music career
As a freshman at San Fernando Valley State College, (now California State University at Northridge), while working in the practice rooms of the Department of Music, Curb wrote the song "You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda (Go Little Honda)" which the company selected for its ad campaign. Dropping out of college in 1963 at the age of 19, Curb formed first record company, Sidewalk RecordsSidewalk Records
Sidewalk Records was a record label based in Hollywood, California that was started in 1963 by Mike Curb at the age of eighteen. The company was first formed as Sidewalk Productions and later became a subsidiary label of Capitol Records. Many recordings by Sidewalk Productions appeared on the...
(a predecessor of Curb Records) launched the careers of West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
artists such as the Stone Poneys
Stone Poneys
The Stone Poneys were a folk-rock trio formed in Los Angeles, consisting of Bobby Kimmel , Kenny Edwards , and Linda Ronstadt . Their recordings include Linda Ronstadt's first hit song, a cover of Mike Nesmith's "Different Drum"...
(featuring Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
), The Arrows
The Arrows
Arrows were an English American band based in London, England. The group, which formed in 1974 and disbanded in 1977, included singer/bassist Alan Merrill, guitarist Jake Hooker and drummer Paul Varley. They had hit singles in 1974 and 1975 with "Touch Too Much", "My Last Night With You" and "I...
(featuring Davie Allan
Davie Allan
Davie Allan is a guitarist best known for his work on soundtracks to various teen and biker movies in the 1960s. Allan's backing band is almost always the Arrows , although the Arrows have never been a stable lineup....
) and the Electric Flag
Electric Flag
The Electric Flag was a blues rock soul group, led by guitarist Mike Bloomfield, keyboardist Barry Goldberg and drummer Buddy Miles, and featuring other well-known musicians such as vocalist Nick Gravenites and bassist Harvey Brooks. Bloomfield formed the Electric Flag in 1967, following his stint...
(featuring Mike Bloomfield
Mike Bloomfield
Michael Bernard "Mike" Bloomfield was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, since he rarely sang before 1969–70...
and Buddy Miles
Buddy Miles
George Allen Miles, Jr. , known as Buddy Miles, was an American rock and funk drummer, most known as a founding member of The Electric Flag in 1967, then as a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys from 1969 through to January 1970.-Early life:George Allen Miles was born in Omaha, Nebraska on...
).
Curb scored the music for the short film, Skaterdater
Skaterdater
Skaterdater is a 1965 American short film. It was Produced by Marshal Backlar, and written and directed by Noel Black and was the winner of the Palme d'Or for Best Short Film at the 1966 Cannes Film Festival. It was also nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Short Subject category...
(1965); he later scored
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
Peter Fonda
Peter Fonda
Peter Henry Fonda is an American actor. He is the son of Henry Fonda, brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget and Justin Fonda...
's Wild Angels
Wild Angels
-Personnel:*Eddie Bayers – drums*Larry Byrom – electric guitar*Joe Chemay – bass guitar, fretless bass*Ashley Cleveland – background vocals*Rusty "Pedal" Danmyer – steel guitar*Dan Dugmore – electric guitar, steel guitar, Dobro...
(1966) and The Born Losers
The Born Losers
This article is about the film. You may be looking for the song http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_LosersBorn Losers is a 1967 action film and the first of the Billy Jack movies. The film introduced Tom Laughlin as the half-Indian Green Beret Vietnam veteran Billy Jack...
(1967) - the first of the Billy Jack
Billy Jack
Billy Jack is a 1971 action film. It is the second, and highest grossing, in a series of motion pictures centering on a character of the same name, played by Tom Laughlin who also directed and co-wrote the script. Filming began in Prescott, Arizona, in fall 1969, but the movie was not completed...
films - among others. In 1969, he merged his company with MGM and became President of MGM Records and Verve Records
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
. Curb composed or supervised over 50 motion picture soundtracks and wrote over 400 songs.
Curb organized his own musical group, The Mike Curb Congregation in the 1960s; they had a Top 40 pop hit in early 1971 with the title cut from their album Burning Bridges (written and composed by Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin is an Argentine composer, pianist and conductor. He is best known for his film and TV scores, such as the "Theme from Mission: Impossible". He has received four Grammy Awards and six Oscar nominations...
and Mike Curb) which was used as the theme of Clint Eastwood's film Kelly's Heroes
Kelly's Heroes
Kelly's Heroes is an offbeat 1970 comedy/war film about a group of World War II soldiers who go AWOL to rob a bank behind enemy lines. Directed by Brian G...
. They also sang the theme from The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart and had a hit recording of "It's a Small World." The group was featured on Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
's number-one Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
hit of 1972, "The Candy Man
The Candy Man
"The Candy Man" is a song from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. It was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley specifically for the film and does not appear in the original book or the 2005 film adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...
" (the Aubrey Woods
Aubrey Woods
Aubrey Woods is an English actor. He was born in London.His television credits include: Z-Cars, Up Pompeii!, Doctor Who , Blake's 7, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and Ever Decreasing Circles...
version was featured in the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 musical film adaptation of the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, directed by Mel Stuart, and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. The film tells the story of Charlie Bucket as he receives a golden ticket and visits Willy...
) and in 1978, the Mike Curb Congregation was featured in the musical The Magic of Lassie
The Magic of Lassie
The Magic of Lassie is a 1978 Wrather Corporation film. It features James Stewart in one of only two musical film roles that he played . Mickey Rooney and Alice Faye also make cameo appearances in the film...
, starring James Stewart
James Stewart (actor)
James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
. They recorded "Together, a New Beginning" in 1980, the theme song for Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's successful presidential bid that year. The Mike Curb Congregation were weekly regulars on Glen Campbell's CBS' National Network Television Show.
In 1969, Curb signed Christian rock pioneer Larry Norman
Larry Norman
Larry David Norman was an American Christian musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer, who worked with Christian rock music...
to Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
.
In the 1970s, Curb wrote for and produced Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
, the Osmond Family, Lou Rawls
Lou Rawls
Louis Allen "Lou" Rawls was an American soul, jazz, and blues singer. He was known for his smooth vocal style: Frank Sinatra once said that Rawls had "the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game"...
, Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
and Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke was an American singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, mortician, and an archbishop of the United House of Prayer For All People. Burke was known as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", and as the "Bishop of Soul", and described as "the Muhammad Ali of soul", and as "the most...
; he also signed artists such as the Sylvers
The Sylvers
The Sylvers were a popular R&B/soul and disco family group during the 1970s. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, the family would later relocate to Watts, California.- Beginnings :...
, Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon
Eric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
, War
War (band)
War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...
, Richie Havens
Richie Havens
Richard P. "Richie" Havens is an African American folk singer and guitarist. He is best known for his intense, rhythmic guitar style , soulful covers of pop and folk songs, and his opening performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.-Career:Born in Brooklyn, Havens was the eldest of nine children...
, the Five Man Electrical Band
Five Man Electrical Band
The Five Man Electrical Band was a rock group from Canada's capital city of Ottawa, best known for their 1971 hit single "Signs"....
, Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits; "I Will Survive" , "Never Can Say Goodbye" , "Let Me Know " and "I Am What I Am" .-Early career:Gaynor was a singer with the Soul...
, Johnny Bristol
Johnny Bristol
Johnny Bristol , was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
, Exile and The Four Seasons. He ran a short-lived country music subsidiary label for Motown called Hitsville Records. Curb composed "It Was a Good Time" for Liza Minnelli's Emmy Award Winning "Liza with a Z". He also received BMI awards for composing "Burning Bridges" for Clint Eastwood's "Kelly's Heroes" and for composing "All for the Love of Sunshine
All for the Love of Sunshine
"All for the Love of Sunshine" is the title of a song recorded by American country music singer Hank Williams Jr.. Written by music executive Mike Curb , the song became Williams' first number-one single on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in September 1970. Williams was backed by the The...
" which was Hank Williams, Jr's. first #1 Record.
MGM anti-drug controversy
In 1970, Billboard reported that "MGM Records president Mike Curb has dropped 18 acts who, in his opinion, promote and exploit hard drugs through music." Among the acts reportedly cut were the Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention were an American band active from 1964 to 1969, and again from 1970 to 1975.They mainly performed works by, and were the original recording group of, US composer and guitarist Frank Zappa , although other members have had the occasional writing credit...
, though by 1969, Zappa had fulfilled his MGM/Verve contract and moved to his own Bizarre Records
Bizarre Records
Bizarre Records was a record label formed for artists discovered by rock musician Frank Zappa and his business partner/manager Herb Cohen.Bizarre was originally formed as a production company...
label, distributed by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
Billboard reported that Curb was alarmed by the drug-related deaths of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, and Al Wilson of Canned Heat
Canned Heat
Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists...
.
Curb claimed he had industry support, but the only record company official he cited, Bill Gallagher, the president of Paramount Records
Paramount Records (1969)
Paramount Records was a record label started in 1969 by Paramount Pictures after acquiring the rights to the name from George H. Buck. The previous label with the same name had been unconnected to Paramount Pictures. The new Paramount label reissued pop releases by sister label Dot Records, which...
, contradicted him. Columbia Records president Clive Davis said Curb was "grandstanding," and that his anti-drug stance had made him "a minor hero of the Nixon administration." In 1997, Curb said the affair had happened at a time when "you were considered a freak if you spoke out against drugs."
Political career
Encouraged to enter politics in part by Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, Curb was elected lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1978, defeating the incumbent Democrat, Mervyn M. Dymally
Mervyn M. Dymally
Mervyn Malcolm Dymally is a California Democratic politician of mixed Indian and Afro-Trinidadian heritage. He served in the California State Assembly and the California State Senate , as the 41st Lieutenant Governor of California , and in the U.S. House of Representatives...
. Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
was re-elected governor in the same year. During much of Brown's 1979-1980 bid to become the Democratic presidential candidate, Curb served as acting governor
Acting governor
An acting governor is a constitutional position created in some U.S. states when the governor dies in office or resigns. In some states, the governor may also be declared to be incapacitated and unable to function for various reasons, including illness and absence from the state for more than a...
, vetoing legislation, issuing executive orders and making appointments; actions the California's Supreme Court upheld as Curb's constitutional prerogative. Curb worked with Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk
Harvey Bernard Milk was an American politician who became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
on the campaign against the Briggs Initiative and persuaded Reagan to oppose it, leading to its defeat. Curb has been a leading conservative advocate of gay rights ever since.
Curb lost the 1982 Republican gubernatorial nomination to California attorney general George Deukmejian
George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian, Jr. born June 6, 1928) is an Armenian American politician from California who as a Republican served as the 35th Governor of California and as California Attorney General .-Early life:...
. In 1986, Curb ran again for lieutenant governor as the Republican nominee against the incumbent Democrat Leo T. McCarthy
Leo T. McCarthy
Leo Tarcissus McCarthy was a New Zealand-born American politician and businessman. He served as the 43rd Lieutenant Governor of California from 1983 to 1995....
in a bitterly contested race that largely centered around punishment for drug trafficking and violent crimes. A vocal opponent of drug use, Curb advocated extension of the death penalty to include drug pushers whose narcotics trafficking resulted in a death. In his speeches and campaign ads, McCarthy sought to denigrate Curb's image with Republican voters as an anti-drug proponent by alleging that Curb made a fortune in making films that glorified drugs, sex, and violence. Curb was so incensed at McCarthy's allegations that he filed a $7-million libel and slander suit against McCarthy, stating that McCarthy "went too far because he lied about a business. There will be many, many years of severe damage to my company and my reputation." In particular, Curb stated that McCarthy's charge that Curb had made a "fortune" on exploitation movies was "false on its face" and had damaged Curb's "campaign for public office, his business and...his standing in the community." McCarthy won the election, and no Republican has been elected lieutenant governor of California since Curb left office.
Later career in music
Returning to the music industry, Curb established Curb RecordsCurb Records
Curb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963...
. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee
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...
, in 1994, where his company records for artists such as Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Ellen Judd is an American country music singer. Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the singular name Wynonna. Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in the country music duo The Judds...
, LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her...
, Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
, Hank III, Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
, Kimberley Locke
Kimberley Locke
Kimberley Dawn Locke is an American singer-songwriter and model. She has recorded in the dance, pop and adult contemporary music genres....
, Sawyer Brown
Sawyer Brown
Sawyer Brown is an American country music band founded in 1981 in Apopka, Florida, by five members of country pop singer Don King's road band: Bobby Randall and Jim Scholten , both from Midland, Michigan; Joe Smyth , Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard , and Mark Miller...
, Rodney Atkins
Rodney Atkins
Rodney Allan Atkins is an American country music artist. Signed to Curb Records in 1996, he charted his first single on the Billboard country chart that year, but did not release an album until 2003's Honesty, which included the number 4 hit "Honesty ".If You're Going Through Hell, his second...
, Steve Holy
Steve Holy
Steve Holy is an American country music artist. Signed to Curb Records since 1999, he has released three studio albums: 2000's Blue Moon 2006's Brand New Girlfriend and 2011's Love Don't Run...
, Heidi Newfield
Heidi Newfield
Heidi Newfield is an American country music artist. She was lead singer, rhythm guitarist and harmonica player for the group Trick Pony, alongside Keith Burns and Ira Dean from 1996 until 2006, when she left in pursuit of a solo career...
and others. Curb is an equity partner in the gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
company Word Label Group
Word Records
Word Records is a Christian record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a division of Word Entertainment , which, itself is co-owned by Warner Music Group and Curb Records...
, in cooperation with Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
.
Involvement in car racing
A motorsportMotorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
enthusiast, Curb is a co-owner of the CURB/Agajanian/3G Racing, a team that has since suspended operations in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's Nationwide Series. Curb's sponsorship and ownership have included three of NASCAR's most celebrated drivers: he previously owned Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
's famed #43 in 1984 and 1985, including the 199th and 200th career wins for Petty. Curb was also a sponsor for Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
during his 1980 Winston Cup championship winning season, and sponsored Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
's #12 Toyota Tundra in the Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
, driven by Joey Miller
Joey Miller
Joseph Miller is a former stock car racer in the ARCA RE/MAX Series and the Camping World Truck Series.-Background:...
in 2006. Curb-Agajanian also run cars for many years in the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
with drivers including Billy Boat
Billy Boat
William "Billy" Leonard Boat is a former American open wheel driver who raced in the Indy Racing League....
and Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier is an American racing driver born January 25, 1971 in Denver, Colorado and is the younger brother of 1996 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Lazier and son of former Indy racer Bob Lazier....
.
In November 2007, Curb purchased the remaining interest in Brewco Motorsports from Clarence Brewer of Central City, Kentucky
Central City, Kentucky
Central City is a city in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 5,893 at the 2000 census. It is also the largest city in the county and the principal community in the Central City Micropolitan Statistical Area which includes all of Muhlenberg County and the communities...
, making him co-owner with Gary Baker. Forming Baker-Curb Motorsports competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series from 2008 until 2010 in the #27 and #37 cars until lack of sponsorship forced the team to suspend operations half way through the 2010 season as well as for the whole 2011 racing season. Curb also co-owned a car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for a couple races in 2011 Curb is the co-owner of the car along with Richard Childress
Richard Childress
Richard Childress is a former NASCAR driver and the current team owner of Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. As a business entrepreneur, Childress became one of the wealthiest men in North Carolina...
of the #98 car driven by driver Austin Dillon
Austin Dillon
Austin Dillon is an American stock car racing driver. He is the son of former driver and RCR general manager Mike Dillon and grandson of Richard Childress....
, With the possibility of returning to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2012 for a limited schedule. Operations have been moved to Nashville, TN.
Public honors
In NashvilleNashville, 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...
, Curb has become a civic leader and benefactor of Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
, where his donation toward the construction of a new arena resulted in it being named the Curb Event Center
Curb Event Center
The Curb Event Center is a multipurpose arena on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.The facility was completed in 2003. It is the home venue of Belmont's men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams and hosted the 2004 and 2005 Atlantic Sun Conference men's basketball...
. The University also runs "The Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business." He also endowed the Curb Center and the Curb Creative Campus program at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
and the Mike Curb Institute of Music at Rhodes College
Rhodes College
Rhodes College is a private, predominantly undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Originally founded by freemasons in 1848, Rhodes became affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in 1855. Rhodes enrolls approximately 1,700 students pursuing bachelor's and master's...
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
In 2001, Curb was inducted into the Junior Achievement
Junior Achievement
Junior Achievement or JA or JA Worldwide is a non-profit youth organization that was founded in 1919 by Horace A. Moses, Theodore Vail, and senator Winthrop M. Crane. JA focuses on educating kids in K-12 about the free enterprise system...
U.S. Business Hall of Fame.
In 2003, Curb was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame.
In August 2006, Curb pledged $10 million to California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
(in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
) to endow his alma mater's arts college and provide a lead gift for the university's planned regional performing arts center that will serve as a "learning laboratory" for students. Of the $10 million gift, $5 million will support CSUN's College of Arts, Media, and Communication, one of the university's largest colleges that offers degree and certificate programs for more than 4,400 students. Four million of that will go into a general endowment for the college, and $1 million will endow a faculty chair specializing in music industry studies. As a result, the college was named in his honor.
On June 29, 2007, Curb was honored with the 2,341st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
.
On October 21, 2010, CSU Channel Islands dedicated the Mike Curb Studio in Napa Hall on the Camarillo, CA university campus. The studio provides a new film and video production and post-production facility to the campus.
Albums
| Year | Album | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Come Together | 105 |
| Sweet Gingerbread Man | 185 | |
| 1971 | Burning Bridges and Other Motion Picture Themes | 117 |
| Put Your Hand in the Hand | 205 | |
| 1972 | Softly Whispering I Love You | 206 |
Collaboration albums
| Year | Album | US Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | All for the Love of Sunshine (with Hank Williams, Jr. Hank Williams, Jr. Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country... ) |
10 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
CAN 1966 "Suzie Darling" |
||
| 1970 | "Sweet Gingerbread Man" | 16 | 115 | 95 |
| 1971 | "Burning Bridges" | 16 | 34 | 40 |
| 1972 | "See You In September See You In September "See You in September" is a song written by Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards. The song was first recorded by the Pittsburgh vocal group, The Tempos. This first version peaked at #23 in the summer of 1959... " |
15 | 108 | — |
| 1973 | "It's a Small Small World" | 9 | 108 | — |
Guest singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
CAN Country | CAN | CAN AC | |||
| 1970 | "All for the Love of Sunshine All for the Love of Sunshine "All for the Love of Sunshine" is the title of a song recorded by American country music singer Hank Williams Jr.. Written by music executive Mike Curb , the song became Williams' first number-one single on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in September 1970. Williams was backed by the The... " (with Hank Williams, Jr. Hank Williams, Jr. Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country... ) |
1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | All for the Love of Sunshine |
| "Rainin' in My Heart" (with Hank Williams, Jr.) | 3 | 108 | — | 2 | — | — | ||
| 1971 | "Ain't That a Shame" (with Hank Williams, Jr.) | 7 | — | — | 16 | — | — | Hank Williams, Jr.'s Greatest Hits Vol. II |
| 1972 | "The Candy Man The Candy Man "The Candy Man" is a song from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. It was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley specifically for the film and does not appear in the original book or the 2005 film adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory... " (with Sammy Davis, Jr. Sammy Davis, Jr. Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities.... ) |
— | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 3 | Sammy Davis Jr. Now Sammy Davis Jr. Now Eugene Chadbourne of Allmusic rated Sammy Davis Jr. Now one-and-a-half out of five stars. He stated that "there are tracks enough on this album that are painful to sit through", but also said that "The Candy Man" "surely will retain its historical value simply for being about the closest music has... |
| "Gone (Our Endless Love)" (with Billy Walker Billy Walker (musician) William Marvin Walker , better known as Billy Walker, was an American country music singer and guitarist best-known for his 1962 hit, " Charlie's Shoes"... ) |
24 | — | — | — | — | — | The Billy Walker Show |
External links
- MikeCurb.com
- [ The Mike Curb Congregation] at Allmusic