Windham Hill Records
Encyclopedia
Windham Hill Records is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment
specializing in Acoustic
, New Age
and Folk
music. Originally founded in 1976
as an Independent record label
by guitarist
and carpenter
William Ackerman
and his then-wife Anne Robinson, Windham Hill was a successful and well-respected music label during its height in the 1980s and 90s. The label was purchased by BMG
through a series of buyouts from 1992 through 1996 and is currently a subsidiary
of Sony Music Entertainment
after BMG's subsequent merger in 2008. Private Music
, also a subsidiary of BMG, has issued some back-catalog releases under the Windham Hill Records imprint. Since the Sony merger, Windham Hill currently releases no new material but recycles albums and compilations as part of Sony's Legacy Recordings
brand.
, releasing Ackerman's own work, as well as that of other guitarists. It then expanded to include electronic
and world music
ensembles. While the artists of Windham Hill may not have used the term, the label eventually became known in the industry mainly as a New Age music label, with its Billboard
-charting albums appearing primarily on the New Age genre charts. The label is best known for its high sound quality, groundbreaking music, unique flagship collections
and tasteful album art within the form of an identifiable label brand identity.
The label's records were distributed by A&M Records
until PolyGram
purchased A&M in 1989. From 1989-2008 it was distributed by BMG
, which had distributed A&M from 1979 until the sale. Will Ackerman sold his half of the company to BMG in 1992 and Anne Ackerman sold her half in 1996. BMG began distributing Windham Hill through RCA Records
and merged other music labels that they purchased (such as Peter Baumann's
Private Music
) into Windham Hill, forming the Windham Hill Group. In doing so, artists such as Yanni
, Ray Lynch
, and Vangelis
joined the label, though they were not original Windham Hill artists.
Jim Brickman
was the last artist signed to the label pre-buyout and he was the last artist to leave Windham Hill in 2006, joining Savoy Records
.
Today a majority of Windham's releases are distributed through Legacy Recordings
, formerly a division of Sony BMG. In 2008 Sony absorbed all of the BMG assets and wrapped Windham Hill into their conglomerate. Sony has no A&R
department in Windham Hill and records no new music at this time. It is uncertain whether or not Windham Hill will ever release any new material, though, as part of the Legacy Recordings branch, Windham Hill consistently recycles tunes previously released.
For Windham Hill's 30th Anniversary, Sony BMG released a special collection kit, with an article from Will Ackerman.
For the first time in over 15 years, many of the early Windham Hill artists who recorded under Ackerman performed together on August 27, 2006 at the Villa Montalvo
in Saratoga, California
near San Jose
. Artists included: Barbara Higbie
, Jim Brickman
, Tuck & Patti
, Alex de Grassi
, Liz Story
, Philip Aaberg
, Michael Manring
, Samite
, David Cullen
, Tracy Silverman
, Lisa Lynne, George Tortorelli, Sean Harkness (who also planned and invited the musicians), and, of course, Will Ackerman.
Starting in 2009, Valley Entertainment
began reissuing titles from the Windham Hill catalog. As of January 2011 they have released 16 of the albums in CD
format.
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
specializing in Acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
, New Age
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
and Folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
music. Originally founded in 1976
1976 in music
-January–February:*January 5 – Former Beatles road manager Mal Evans is shot dead by Los Angeles police after refusing to drop what police only later determine is an air rifle....
as an Independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
by guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
William Ackerman
William Ackerman
William Ackerman is a Grammy winning guitarist and composer of acoustic-based instrumental music. He founded and ran for many years the influential New Age record label Windham Hill Records.- Career :...
and his then-wife Anne Robinson, Windham Hill was a successful and well-respected music label during its height in the 1980s and 90s. The label was purchased by BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
through a series of buyouts from 1992 through 1996 and is currently a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
after BMG's subsequent merger in 2008. Private Music
Private Music
Private Music is a United States record company founded in 1984 by experimental musician Peter Baumann, as a home for instrumental music. Initially signing such artists as Yanni, Suzanne Ciani, Patrick O'Hearn, and Baumann's former bandmates Tangerine Dream, the record label specialized in New Age...
, also a subsidiary of BMG, has issued some back-catalog releases under the Windham Hill Records imprint. Since the Sony merger, Windham Hill currently releases no new material but recycles albums and compilations as part of Sony's Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
brand.
History
Windham Hill was originally a folk music labelRecord label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, releasing Ackerman's own work, as well as that of other guitarists. It then expanded to include electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
and world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
ensembles. While the artists of Windham Hill may not have used the term, the label eventually became known in the industry mainly as a New Age music label, with its Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
-charting albums appearing primarily on the New Age genre charts. The label is best known for its high sound quality, groundbreaking music, unique flagship collections
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
and tasteful album art within the form of an identifiable label brand identity.
The label's records were distributed by A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
until PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
purchased A&M in 1989. From 1989-2008 it was distributed by BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
, which had distributed A&M from 1979 until the sale. Will Ackerman sold his half of the company to BMG in 1992 and Anne Ackerman sold her half in 1996. BMG began distributing Windham Hill through RCA Records
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...
and merged other music labels that they purchased (such as Peter Baumann's
Peter Baumann
Peter Baumann formed the core line-up of the German electronic group Tangerine Dream with Edgar Froese and Christopher Franke in 1971. While touring with the band, Baumann composed his first solo album in 1976...
Private Music
Private Music
Private Music is a United States record company founded in 1984 by experimental musician Peter Baumann, as a home for instrumental music. Initially signing such artists as Yanni, Suzanne Ciani, Patrick O'Hearn, and Baumann's former bandmates Tangerine Dream, the record label specialized in New Age...
) into Windham Hill, forming the Windham Hill Group. In doing so, artists such as Yanni
Yanni
Yanni , born Yiannis Hrysomallis is a Greek self-taught pianist, keyboardist, and composer who has spent most of his life in the United States.He earned Grammy nominations for his 1992 album, Dare to Dream, and the 1993 follow-up, In My Time...
, Ray Lynch
Ray Lynch
Raymond "Ray" Lynch is a classically trained guitarist and lutenist. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to a musical and artistic family. His mother was a classical pianist and watercolor artist. At age 6, Lynch began studying the piano until age 12, where he was inspired by the music of Andres...
, and Vangelis
Vangelis
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou is a Greek composer of electronic, progressive, ambient, jazz, pop rock and orchestral music, under the artist name Vangelis...
joined the label, though they were not original Windham Hill artists.
Jim Brickman
Jim Brickman
Jim Brickman is an American songwriter and pianist. He has been named the most charted male Adult Contemporary artist to date, with six of his albums receiving Gold and Platinum status. He is known for his solo piano compositions, pop-style instrumentals, and vocal collaborations with artists...
was the last artist signed to the label pre-buyout and he was the last artist to leave Windham Hill in 2006, joining Savoy Records
Savoy Records
Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
.
Today a majority of Windham's releases are distributed through Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
, formerly a division of Sony BMG. In 2008 Sony absorbed all of the BMG assets and wrapped Windham Hill into their conglomerate. Sony has no A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
department in Windham Hill and records no new music at this time. It is uncertain whether or not Windham Hill will ever release any new material, though, as part of the Legacy Recordings branch, Windham Hill consistently recycles tunes previously released.
For Windham Hill's 30th Anniversary, Sony BMG released a special collection kit, with an article from Will Ackerman.
For the first time in over 15 years, many of the early Windham Hill artists who recorded under Ackerman performed together on August 27, 2006 at the Villa Montalvo
Villa Montalvo
Villa Montalvo is an Italian Mediterranean style mansion nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, in Saratoga, California, United States. It was constructed from 1912 to 1914 by California statesman and businessman James Duval Phelan. After Phelan's death, it was donated to the state...
in Saratoga, California
Saratoga, California
Saratoga is a city in Santa Clara County, California, USA. It is located on the west side of the Santa Clara Valley, directly west of San Jose, in the San Francisco Bay area. The population was 29,926 at the 2010 census....
near San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. Artists included: Barbara Higbie
Barbara Higbie
Barbara Higbie is a Grammy nominated, Bammy award winning pianist, composer, violinist, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She has played on over 65 CD's including 3 tunes on the recent Carlos Santana CD. A longtime Windham Hill recording artist, she has also recorded for Olivia/Second...
, Jim Brickman
Jim Brickman
Jim Brickman is an American songwriter and pianist. He has been named the most charted male Adult Contemporary artist to date, with six of his albums receiving Gold and Platinum status. He is known for his solo piano compositions, pop-style instrumentals, and vocal collaborations with artists...
, Tuck & Patti
Tuck & Patti
Tuck & Patti are an American husband and wife jazz duo.Oklahoma born guitarist Tuck Andress met singer Patti Cathcart, a native of San Francisco, at an audition in Las Vegas in 1980. Prior to this, Tuck had been a session performer with The Gap Band....
, Alex de Grassi
Alex de Grassi
Alex de Grassi is an American Grammy Award-nominated fingerstyle guitarist.-Early life and influences:Though born in Yokosuka, Japan, de Grassi grew up in San Francisco, California, where his grandfather played violin for the San Francisco Symphony and his father was a classical pianist...
, Liz Story
Liz Story
Liz Story is an American pianist. She was born in San Diego, California. She attended the Juilliard School, studied under Sanford Gold and received additional education in Germany. In the 1980s she emerged as a prominent figure in new age music and recording artist at Windham Hill Records...
, Philip Aaberg
Philip Aaberg
Philip Aaberg is an American pianist, keyboardist, and composer. He gained international recognition through a series of successful piano recordings released on Windham Hill Records. Although classically trained, Aaberg incorporates classical, jazz, bluegrass, rock, and new music elements into his...
, Michael Manring
Michael Manring
Michael Manring is an American electric bassist from the San Francisco Bay Area, .-Biography:...
, Samite
Samite (musician)
Samite is the stage name for African musician Samite Mulondo. Originally from Uganda, Samite now lives in Ithaca, New York. He plays the flute and kalimba, a type of thumb piano....
, David Cullen
David Cullen
David Cullen is a former basketball player who currently assists the organisation Crossover Basketball with its work in Northern Ireland...
, Tracy Silverman
Tracy Silverman
Tracy Silverman is an American violinist, composer, and producer. Born in New York and raised in Beloit, Wisconsin, he attended Beloit Memorial High School, but left after 10th grade to enter the Chicago Musical College at the age of 16...
, Lisa Lynne, George Tortorelli, Sean Harkness (who also planned and invited the musicians), and, of course, Will Ackerman.
Starting in 2009, Valley Entertainment
Valley Entertainment
Valley Entertainment is a United States music distributor and independent record label based in New York City. The company was founded in 1996 by Barney Cohen, president and CEO. In 2001, they acquired the prestigious back catalogue of space, ambient, and New Age music from Hearts of Space Records...
began reissuing titles from the Windham Hill catalog. As of January 2011 they have released 16 of the albums in CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
format.
Artists
|
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Associated labels
- Dancing Cat RecordsDancing Cat RecordsDancing Cat Records was a record label founded in 1983 by pianist George Winston to publish both his music and music in the Hawaiian slack-key guitar style. Its mission later expanded to cover other Hawaiian musicians. The label has a distribution deal, but is not owned by Windham Hill Records or...
, a Hawaiian music label founded by artist George Winston, was distributed through Windham Hill. - High Street RecordsHigh Street RecordsHigh Street Records was a subsidiary label of Windham Hill Records from about 1990 to 1997. Notable acts who recorded for the label include John Gorka, Pierce Pettis, Patty Larkin, The Subdudes, and Dots Will Echo...
was a Windham Hill subsidiary that mostly recorded singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
s. - Hip Pocket was a jazz-oriented label (started by Andy NarellAndy NarellAndy Narell is a musician and composer specialized in the steelpan.-Biography:He was born in New York City and moved to California in his teens. He took up the steelpan at a very young age in Queens, New York...
) which was folded into the Windham Hill Jazz label (along with Magenta) in 1987. - Magenta was a jazz oriented label (started by Steve Backer in 1985) which was folded into the Windham Hill Jazz label (along with Hip Pocket) in 1987.
- Living Music was a new-age label (started by Paul WinterPaul WinterPaul Winter is an American saxophonist , and is a six-time Grammy Award nominee.- Biography :Paul Winter attended Altoona Area High School and graduated in 1957...
in 1980), which was distributed by Windham Hill. - Lost Lake Arts reissued out-of-print albums. A total of 13 albums were released on the label.
- Open Air was a vocal label, which released seven albums.
- Rabbit Ears was a Windham Hill children's music imprint active in the 1980s.
External links
- Windham Hill Records Discography Windham Hill Records Discography. Includes reviews, samples, track listings and complete liner notes.
- Official site (defunct as of July 2007, currently redirects to Legacy Recordings)
- Windham Hill Records Label history 1982-1989; US and international discographies; Billboard performance, photo galleries, more.
- Legacy Recordings Reissues much of Windham Hill's catalog