Collection Guide
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Finding Aid for the A & M Records Collection of business
papers, sound recordings, music manuscripts, and memorabilia 1959-1992
269
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Table of contents
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
187 boxes
Restrictions
Publication Rights
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Music
Library Special Collections. 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.