Simon Waronker
Encyclopedia
Simon "Si" Waronker was a violin
ist and record producer
from Los Angeles, California
. Graduating from high school at 13 years old, he won a scholarship to study music in France
.
Waronker began to establish his music career in Germany
, but was forced to return to the U.S.
when Nazi Party members began to threaten Jews. From 1939 to 1955, Waronker recorded music for 20th Century Fox
film
s. He then chose to enter the recording industry independently, co-founding Liberty Records
and serving as its chairman. The first artist he signed was popular singer Julie London
.
One of the major acts who recorded on Liberty Records was The Chipmunks
, actually Ross Bagdasarian Sr., who recorded as David Seville. Seville named The Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore) after Liberty Records
executives Alvin Bennett, Simon Waronker, and Theodore Keep, respectively.
In 1963, facing health problems, Waronker sold his interest in Liberty to the electronics firm Avnet
.
Record producer Lenny Waronker
is Simon's son. His three grandchildren include musicians Joey Waronker
, Anna Waronker
and fashion buyer Katherine Waronker.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and record 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...
from Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Graduating from high school at 13 years old, he won a scholarship to study music in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Waronker began to establish his music career in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, but was forced to return to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when Nazi Party members began to threaten Jews. From 1939 to 1955, Waronker recorded music for 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s. He then chose to enter the recording industry independently, co-founding Liberty Records
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...
and serving as its chairman. The first artist he signed was popular singer Julie London
Julie London
Julie London was an American singer and actress. She was best known for her smoky, sensual voice. London was at her singing career's peak in the 1950s. Her acting career lasted more than 35 years...
.
One of the major acts who recorded on Liberty Records was The Chipmunks
The Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
, actually Ross Bagdasarian Sr., who recorded as David Seville. Seville named The Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore) after Liberty Records
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...
executives Alvin Bennett, Simon Waronker, and Theodore Keep, respectively.
In 1963, facing health problems, Waronker sold his interest in Liberty to the electronics firm Avnet
Avnet
Avnet, Inc. is a technology Business-to-business B2B distributor headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Electronics Supply & Manufacturing magazine reports that Avnet Inc., a Fortune 500 company, may be the world's largest franchised distributor of electronic components and subsystems...
.
Record producer Lenny Waronker
Lenny Waronker
Lenny Waronker is a record producer for Warner Bros. Records.-Career:He produced recording sessions for Nancy Sinatra, The Everly Brothers, Van Dyke Parks, The Beau Brummels, Harpers Bizarre, Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, Arlo Guthrie, Maria Muldaur, Gordon Lightfoot, Rickie Lee Jones, James Taylor, ...
is Simon's son. His three grandchildren include musicians Joey Waronker
Joey Waronker
Joseph "Joey" Waronker is an American drummer and music producer. He is the son of record producer Lenny Waronker and singer/actress Donna Loren; his younger sister is musician Anna Waronker; and his grandfather is record executive and professional violinist Simon Waronker. He has three other...
, Anna Waronker
Anna Waronker
Anna Jeanette Waronker is a singer/songwriter, composer, and producer best known as the former frontwoman of That Dog. She is the daughter of producer Lenny Waronker and actress/musician Donna Loren, the sister of session drummer Joey Waronker, and is married to Steven Shane McDonald of Redd...
and fashion buyer Katherine Waronker.