JERRY MOSS,
1935-2023

Jerry Moss, Herb Alpert’s partner in A&M Records, one of the most important independent labels from the 1960s through the 1980s, died at his Bel Air home this week. He was 88.

Moss' family announced his death today (8/16), writing, "He was surrounded by family and friends who loved and cherished him. They truly don't make them like him anymore and we will miss conversations with him about everything under the sun, the twinkle in his eye as he approached every moment ready for the next adventure."

“Jerry Moss was one of music’s true pioneers and great entrepreneurs with a unique vision for what a label should be and how to build trusting long-term relationships with artists," reads a quote issued by UMG chief Sir Lucian Grainge. "The independent spirit he and Herb Alpert championed at A&M Records is foundational to the culture that powers UMG today. On behalf of everyone at UMG, we offer our deepest condolences to his family."

Formed in a garage with $100 and a handshake deal, A&M boasted a roster that started with Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass and would go on to include The Carpenters, The Police, Captain & Tennille, Lee Michaels, The Neville Brothers, Sting and Sheryl Crow. Through groundbreaking licensing deals and direct signings, they brought British acts to the U.S. early in their careers, among them Cat Stevens, Joe Cocker, Humble Pie and Peter Frampton. For a split second in the mid-'70s, A&M was the Sex Pistols’ label.

The company was agnostic when it came to genre, its hits coming from comedy (Cheech & Chong), R&B/pop (Janet Jackson) and prog rock (Rick Wakeman) to new wave (The Go-Go’s, Joe Jackson), Christian music (Amy Grant) and jazz (Wes Montgomery, Chuck Mangione).

The astounding number of acts that had hits for A&M during Moss’ tenure includes Bryan Adams, The Cure, Free, Supertramp, Billy Preston, Joan Baez, Human League, Soundgarden, The Tubes, Squeeze, UB40, John Hiatt and Suzanne Vega.

By the time Albert and Moss sold A&M to PolyGram, in 1989, it was the biggest independent record label in the world. They formed a new label, Almo Sounds, in 1994, releasing albums by Garbage, Ozomatli and Gillian Welch during its five-year run.

Moss with Bryan Adams

In 2016 Moss spoke with Mike Sigman about A&M's early days for HITS’ The History of the Music Biz. Moss recalled, “[In 1965] I started working the flip side of ‘Taste of Honey,’ and Herb kept looking at me and saying, ‘You’re working the wrong side.’ Finally, I said, ‘I think you’re right.’ So I turned it over, and ‘Taste of Honey’ went nuts. We hit #1. And then came the explosion.”

Moss would win his one Grammy—for Record of the Year—in 1966 for producing "A Taste of Honey" with Alpert.

By the middle of 1966, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass had five albums in the Top 20 and were outselling The Beatles. Inspired by that success, Moss signed Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66.

“When the explosion happened and we had the income, we went out and hired people we liked and felt would work hard and do us some good,” Moss continued. “This was a time where the record business really came alive. It was a small industry and we were getting this incredible music, and we sailed right along with it. At A&M, the music and the artist always came first. Secondly, we were looking for people who loved the music and also enjoyed working hard. And third, it had to be fun. You know, we were a small company, and we thought we could manage that part of it very well.”

When CBS and Warner Bros. signed many of the artists who'd played the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, Moss started looking to the U.K. for new stars. One of the first acts he signed was Procol Harum along with producer Denny Cordell, stipulating the right of first refusal for anything Cordell produced. This led to a meeting—and a deal—with Island founder Chris Blackwell that resulted in A&M's becoming the home for acts like Cat Stevens.

Moss and Alpert were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

A dedicated philanthropist, Moss established the Moss Scholars program at UCLA in 2004, providing full scholarships in art, architecture and music.

The Moss Foundation recently made a historic $25m gift to the Music Center to help support the cultivation of strong arts and culture-focused partnerships and new programming initiatives at the Los Angeles County performing arts center.

Active in horse racing, the Mosses’ Giacomo, named for Sting’s son, won the Kentucky Derby in 2005; Zenyatta, named in honor of The Police’s Zenyatta Mondatta, was Horse of the Year in 2010 after coming in second two years in a row. Another Sting-associated horse, Set Them Free, had success as a broodmare.

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of A&M founder Jerry Moss. On behalf of everyone at UMG, we offer our deepest condolences to his family. 🖤 pic.twitter.com/W80YVtZmjp

— Universal Music Group (@UMG) August 17, 2023

(1/2) I am so sorry to hear Jerry Moss has left us. Jerry was a true gentleman and if it weren’t for him, so many lives might have turned out very differently.

— Peter Frampton (@peterframpton) August 16, 2023