Was sent this by Henry, thought you might like a read......
Below is a press release regarding the exciting news of the recognition of
Henry Stone's contribution to the dance music scene. Included with the
press release is a short bio summarizing a few of Stone's many
acheivements in the music scene. A press photo is also availabe upon
request. If you need any more information, please do not hesitate to
contact us. Contact information is at the end.
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September 14, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Henry Stone, the founder of TK Records, will receive The Special Lifetime
Achievement Award in New York City on January 20th from the Dance Music
Hall of Fame.
Stone, a pioneer in the record business, founded TK Records. In the 70's
the label became the number one independent record label in the world as
it released hit after hit that topped the dance music charts.
With chart toppers as KC and The Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight",
"That's The Way I Like It", George McCrae's "Rock Your Baby", and so many
more, TK kept the dance floors and film soundtracks dancing around the
world.
Henry Stone is the only non performing-artist receiving an award this
year.
According to Stone, "I really appreciate the honor of being recognized for
the hit records I released over the past 30 years. It means that what we
did then has had a lasting affect around the world. The disco era was
great. I am looking forward to attending this event."
The Dance Music Hall of Fame was established to recognize the
contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution
and development of dance music and to celebrate the history and
significance of dance music.
Artists and others that helped to shape the dance music industry become
eligible for induction 25 years after their first contribution or record
release. Some of the criteria considered include the influence and
significance of the nominee's contributions to the development and
perpetuation of dance music. Founding board-members of The Dance Music
Hall of Fame include Brian Chin (Music Historian and Former Billboard
Magazine Editor), Daniel Glass (President, Artemis Records), Eddie
O'Loughlin (President, Next Plateau Entertainment), John Parker (Vice
President, A&R/Dance Promotion, Robbins Entertainment) and Thomas
Silverman (Chairman, Tommy Boy Entertainment)." See the Dance Music Hall
Of Fame website at www.dmhof.com for further information.
For further information about Henry Stone, please see the attached bio.
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The Legendary Henry Stone
Henry Stone has long been known around the world as one of the pioneers of
the record industry. In his almost six decades in the business he has
discovered talents that have sold millions of records and become
international stars, and he has formed record companies with hits so big
and meaningful that they created new categories in music. After working
with vinyl, cassettes, and CD's, Henry Stone is now moving into music's
digital era with worldwide digital distribution of his product through
some of the most popular download sites on the internet.
Stone was born in the Bronx, New York. He played the trumpet, and after
the Army he moved to Los Angeles where, in 1946, he started his career by
selling records to jukebox operators from the trunk of his car.
In 1948 he moved to Miami and started to record and distribute the
abundance of great Miami Doo-Wop, Blues, Gospel and R&B artists. He
wanted to funk up the world, and he started doing just that via his own
Chart, Rockin' and Glory labels.
And he dabbled in production. Stone was one of the first to record Ray
Charles, James Brown, Wilbert Harrison, Sam & Dave and Hank ballad's "The
Twist". His first million selling hit was The Charms' "Hearts of Stone"
in 1955. Other records from that era include Otis Williams and the Charms
on Rockin' Records with "Ling, Ting, Tong", "Bazoom (I Need Your Lovin')"
and "Two Hearts"; Nat Kendrick and the Swans (James Brown's Band), on Dade
with "(Do The) Mashed Potatoes".
Henry soon launched a dozen more Miami based record labels as Dade,
Glades, Marlin and Scott in the 50s. He also founded Tone Distributors
which became one of the most successful independent record distribution
companies.
Stone's greatest worldwide successes came during the seventies. He was
brilliant at discovering and nurturing new talent. With Tone Distributors
and a little label called TK Records built into a row of warehouses in
Hialeah, Florida, an industrial area west of Miami, far from the major
record business centers, he exploded with what became the number one
independent record label in the world.
Stone had let two kids who were working in the warehouse experiment in the
recording studio. KC and Rick wrote the number one "Rock Your Baby" which
George McCrae sang, and soon, as KC and The Sunshine Band, released their
own string of number one hits such as "Get Down Tonight" and "That's The
Way I Like It". With hits that kept dance floors and film soundtracks
hopping all over the world, Henry Stone's TK Records helped create and
lead the disco phenomenon.
At the same time that he spearheaded the disco era, Henry Stone and label
VP Steve Alaimo, himself a former teen idol and hit recording artist, had
created another new category in music idolized around the world - "The
Miami Sound." In addition to KC and The Sunshine Band and George McCrae,
TK's recording artists included Betty Wright ("Clean Up Woman"), Timmy
Thomas ("Why Can't We Live Together"), Clarence Reid ("Nobody But You
Babe"), Little Beaver ("Party Down"), Peter Brown ("Do You Wanna Get Funky
With Me", "Dance With Me"), Bobby Caldwell ("What You Won't Do For Love"),
Anita Ward ("Ring My Bell"), Beginning of the End ("Funky Nassau"), Foxy
("Get Off"), T-Connection ("Do What You Wanna Do"), Gwen McCrae ("Rockin
Chair") and Latimore with such greats as "Let's Straighten It Out", "Keep
the Home Fire Burnin'", "Something 'Bout 'Cha".
Henry Stone is indeed a living legend. He is one of the last independent
label executives who was one of the heavyweights with artists from the
40s, 50s, and 60s and label heads like Syd Nathan, George Goldner, the
Bihari Brothers, Ewart Abner, the Erteguns, Jerry Wexler, Hy Weiss, and
Morris Levy.
For decades, followers of Henry Stone and his music have made pilgrimages
to Florida from all corners of the globe to meet the man who has uniquely
worked with so many greats, and so many genres, for so many years. In
fact, it is with the help of some of his loyal admirers that Stone has
been able to find and digitize some of the old and lost rare classic
records by artists like Ray Charles, James Brown, Earl Hooker, Steve
Alaimo, Nat Kendrick and The Swans, Yvonne Fair, Lightnin' Hopkins, and
many more.
On his new label, The Legendary Henry Stone Presents, music lovers
everywhere will now be able to listen to many of the rare and cherished
classics created by Henry Stone as they are released digitally for all the
world to treasure.
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Contact Information:
Henry Stone Music, Inc.
1 Grove Isle, PH 7
Miami, FL 33133
Phone: 305-285-1475, Fax: 305-285-9685
www.henrystonemusic.com
henrystonemusic@aol.com
