Mike Vernon (record producer)

Mike Vernon
Birth name Michael William Hugh Vernon
Born (1944-11-20) 20 November 1944
Harrow, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom
Genres Blues, pop rock
Occupation(s) Record producer, recording engineer, executive producer
Years active 1963–present
Labels CBS Records, Polydor Records, Blue Horizon Records, Decca Records
Associated acts Bluesbreakers, David Bowie, Duster Bennett, Savoy Brown, Chicken Shack, Climax Blues Band, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, John Mayall, Christine McVie, Ten Years After, Focus, Bloodstone, Curtis Jones, Champion Jack Dupree, Otis Spann, Eddie Boyd, Furry Lewis, Bukka White, The Olympic Runners, Rocky Sharpe and the Replays, Dr. Feelgood, Chris Farlowe, Freddie King, Frankie Ford, Jimmy Witherspoon. Level 42, Oli Brown

Michael William Hugh "Mike" Vernon (born 20 November 1944) is an English music executive studio owner, and record producer from Harrow, Middlesex.[1] He produced albums for British blues artists and groups in the 1960s, working with the Bluesbreakers, David Bowie, Duster Bennett, Savoy Brown, Chicken Shack, Climax Blues Band, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, John Mayall, Christine McVie and Ten Years After amongst others.[2]

Biography

Vernon is best known as founder of the blues record label, Blue Horizon.[1] He worked at Decca Records starting in 1963. He served as producer for the Mayall-Clapton collaboration Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966).[2]

In 1973 Sire Records,(SAS 7410) Vernon released a solo album, Moment of Madness. He was also a member of The Olympic Runners (1974–1979) and acted as producer for them. He was a producer and member of Rocky Sharpe and the Replays (1979–1983). With the Replays he sang bass under the psudonym of Eric Rondo.[3] He founded the Indigo and Code Blue record labels in the 1990s.[2]

Vernon came out of retirement to produce Dani Wilde's album Shine, and the second album by the British blues prodigy, Oli Brown. Brown's album entitled Heads I Win, Tails You Lose was released in March 2010.[4]

In October 2013, Vernon was rewarded with a BASCA Gold Badge Award,[5] in recognition of his unique contribution to music.

On 7 September 2018, the release of Vernon's first album on Manhaton Records will take place. The album is entitled Beyond The Blues Horizon. This release features twelve titles, including nine new self-penned originals, and three covers from the catalogues of Brook Benton, Mose Allison and Clarence "Frogman" Henry.[6] The release will be supported by a UK & European Tour under the billing of "Mike Vernon & The Mighty Combo".[7] Vernon's band, The Mighty Combo, consist of Kid Carlos (guitar), Ian Jennings (upright bass), Matt Little (keyboards), Paul Tasker (saxophone) and Mike Hellier (drums).

Production discography

Bibliography

  • Bob Brunning, Blues: The British Connection, Helter Skelter Publishing, London 2002, ISBN 1-900924-41-2 - First edition 1986 - Second edition 1995 Blues in Britain
  • Bob Brunning, The Fleetwood Mac Story: Rumours and Lies, Omnibus Press London, 1990 and 1998, ISBN 0-7119-6907-8
  • Martin Celmins, Peter Green - Founder of Fleetwood Mac, Sanctuary London, 1995, foreword by B.B.King, ISBN 1-86074-233-5
  • Dick Heckstall-Smith, The safest place in the world: A personal history of British Rhythm and blues, 1989 Quartet Books Limited, ISBN 0-7043-2696-5 - Second Edition : Blowing The Blues - Fifty Years Playing The British Blues, 2004, Clear Books, ISBN 1-904555-04-7
  • Christopher Hjort, Strange brew: Eric Clapton and the British blues boom, 1965-1970, foreword by John Mayall, Jawbone 2007, ISBN 1-906002-00-2
  • Paul Myers, Long John Baldry and the Birth of the British Blues, Vancouver 2007, GreyStone Books, ISBN 1-55365-200-2
  • Harry Shapiro, Alexis Korner: The Biography, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, London 1997, Discography by Mark Troster, ISBN 0-7475-3163-3
  • Mike Vernon, The Blue Horizon Story 1965-1970 vol.1, notes from the booklet of the box set (60 pages)

References

  1. 1 2 "Mike Vernon: Biography". MSN Music. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "Biography by Richie Unterberger". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  3. Matt Frost. "Mike Vernon: Producing British Blues". Soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2012-09-25.
  4. Applegate, Zoe (2010-05-11). "BBC - Oli Brown lures producer Mike Vernon for blues album". BBC News. Retrieved 2012-09-25.
  5. "2013 BASCA Gold Badge Award Recipients Announced". Ppluk.com. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  6. "Mike Vernon Steps Beyond the Blues Horizon". Ramzine.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  7. "MIKE VERNON — Beyond The Blue Horizon". Rawramp.me. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  8. "Innes Sibun Biography". Innessibun.org.uk. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  9. "Mingo Balaguer". Mingobalaguer.es. Retrieved 2012-09-25.
  10. Liam Martin. "Laurence Jones | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-07-18.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.