Jerry Moss

Jerome S. Moss (born May 8, 1935) is an American recording executive, best known for being the co-founder of A&M Records, along with trumpet player and bandleader Herb Alpert.[1][2]

Jerry Moss
Born (1935-05-08) May 8, 1935
New York, New York
Alma materBrooklyn College (BA)
Occupation(s)Record company executive
Racehorse owner/breeder
Known forA&M Records, Zenyatta, Giacomo, Tiago, Madeo
Honors

Music career

After graduating from Brooklyn College with a degree in English and serving in the United States Army, Moss began his music career by promoting "16 Candles", a 1958 hit for the Crests on Coed Records. In 1960 he moved to California, where he teamed up with Alpert, forming Carnival Records in 1962 and running the company from an office in Alpert's garage. Discovering that the name was already taken, they dubbed their new-found company A&M Records.

Moss and Alpert agreed in 1987 to sell A&M to PolyGram Records for a reported $500 million. Both continued to manage the label until 1993, when they left because of frustrations with PolyGram's constant pressure to force the label to fit into its corporate culture. In 1998, Alpert and Moss sued PolyGram for breach of the integrity clause, eventually settling for an additional $200 million payment.[3] Alpert and Moss then expanded their Almo Sounds music publishing company to produce records as well, using it as a vehicle for Alpert's music. Almo Sounds imitates the former company culture embraced by Alpert and Moss when they first started A&M.

Moss, Herb Alpert and Herb's cousin Steve Alpert were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 as non-performers.[4][5]

Horse racing

In 2004, Moss was appointed to the California Horse Racing Board, replacing longtime television producer Alan Landsburg.[6] He is a longtime horse-breeder and owner who received the largest ever first-place purse from the Kentucky Derby in 2005 after the victory of the first horse he had ever entered in that race, Giacomo.[7] In 2011, he was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[8]

Personal life

Jerry Moss married Tina (Morse) Moss in 2019, after dating since 2016.[9] They live in Bel Air, California, and Maui, Hawaii.[9]

Philanthropy

In 2020, Jerry and his wife Tina donated $25,000,000 to The Music Center in downtown Los Angeles. This was the largest single contribution ever made to The Music Center.[10]

References
  1. "Jerry Moss of A&M Records on His Career in Music, Part 2 of 7: Meeting Herb Alpert". Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
  2. A&M Records to release 50th anniversary album
  3. "Herb Alpert's Vivendi Deal Has $200-Million Encore Performance". LA Times.com. 1999.
  4. "Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
  5. "Sting presents award at the 2006 Rock And Roll Of Fame Inductions in New York..." sting.com. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
  6. A&M Records' Jerry Moss Named to CHRB
  7. California Thoroughbred Horsemen Honor Jerry Moss Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine April 24, 2006 GregsonFoundation.com
  8. "Jerry Moss - Pillar of Achievement - 2011". Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. 2011. Archived from the original on 2020-10-26. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  9. "Living (and Loving) in Harmony". Los Angeles Magazine. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  10. "A&M Co-Founder Jerry Moss, Wife Tina Give L.A.'s Music Center a Record $25 Million Donation". variety.com. 8 October 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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