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Finding Aid for the A&M Records Collection of business papers, sound recordings, music manuscripts, and memorabilia, 1959-1992
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Description
The collection consists of sound recordings,
manuscript musical arrangements, photographs, correspondence, promotional
materials, posters, gold albums, awards, books and ephemera from just prior to
the company's founding in 1962 through its sale to Polygram in 1989 and a few
years thereafter, while Moss and Alpert were still affiliated with the label.
The collection is in the midst of being procesed. The finding aid will be
updated periodically.
Background
Founded in 1962 in Los Angeles by Jerry Moss and Herb Alpert, A&M Records became America's largest independent record company.
Both men were born in 1935, Alpert in Los Angeles and Moss in New York. The two met in the early 1960s, when Alpert was writing
and recording songs and Moss was an independent record promoter. Their social acquaintance quickly became a partnership when
in 1962 the two formed Carnival Records, based in Alpert's garage. With contributions of $100 from each man, the company released
the single "Tell It to the Birds." After discovering later that year that the Carnival name was already in use, Alpert and
Moss created the company's new name from the initials of their last names.
Extent
192 boxes.
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the
creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright
owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library
Special Collections for paging information.