Milt Gabler
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Year:
1993
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Inducted by:
Billy Crystal
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Category:
Ahmet Ertegun Award
Introduction
The man who set rhythm and blues loose with a rocking backbeat.
Milt Gabler produced the heavy-hitters, including Louis Jordan and Bill Haley. He wasn’t just there for the birth of rock and roll—he made it possible.
Hall of Fame Essay
1993
Suppose a fellow was the principal record producer of Louis Jordan, Bill Haley and Lionel Hampton — arguably the three major founders of rock & roll — you would have to agree that anybody with credits that heavy would be a lock for the RRHOF.
But suppose on top of all of that the guy turns out to be the producer of Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Pearl Bailey, Jimmie Lunceford, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Weavers AND LOUIS ARMSTRONG, would you say, hey y’all, what took so long?
Say hello to Milt Gabler.
It was my uncle, not Frank Sinatra, who told Sammy Davis Jr. that he could sing
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Gallery
Photography: Kevin Mazur, WireImage
