By Vickie (152.163.189.167 - 152.163.189.167) on Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 10:17 pm:

http://www.ithaca.edu/icq/2002v1/cn/cn2.htm

By Ralph (209.240.198.62 - 209.240.198.62) on Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 10:19 pm:

Thanks Vickie,
Now Harry is getting his " just propers ".

By Vickie (152.163.189.167 - 152.163.189.167) on Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 10:20 pm:

sorry, Ralph...I should have let you post this..
We were on the same page I think..
Harry derserves it though!!

By Ralph (209.240.198.62 - 209.240.198.62) on Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 10:23 pm:

That's ok Vickie. I was glad to see it. Yes we were on the same page. Thanks to Sue also.

By HW (68.37.217.106 - 68.37.217.106) on Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 10:35 pm:

oh dear... busted.

Does this have anything to do with visiting Detroit in August 1968 as a kid and seeing a Tigers doubleheader where they came from behind in both games... and I fell for the city and the team? (I was already gone on the music.)

ignore the note about the deluxe Lady Sings The Blues in the article... album won't happen anytime soon.

as some may have noticed my time on the message boards has been taken up by my committment to the official boards.motown.com

[see the post about today's visit to the studio & vault by EDDIE WILLIS and JACK ASHFORD...!]

http://boards.motown.com/viewthread.asp?forum=AMB_AP417246659&id=16

I wish however to take nothing from THIS amazing site so that will be my only plug, and I only did it because of what happened today and my wish to deliver as much support for the guys as possible.

That said, I do check in here every day. I wish David ror Lowell would delete the damn link to my alma mater above but the cat's out of the bag. Does anyone still care if I post any further info? I'm only here to help the originators [last word is underlined], not myself.

By Sue (64.12.96.230 - 64.12.96.230) on Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 11:01 pm:

Har-ry, Har-ry ...

By SisDetroit (67.25.216.83 - 67.25.216.83) on Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 11:18 pm:

"Har-ry, Har-ry..."
I saved it to my favorites.
Thanks Vickie

By Vickie (152.163.189.167 - 152.163.189.167) on Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 11:33 pm:

You're welcome Sis..

Harry is a kind, sweet, & modest man.
When I read the other thread I simply did a Google search and there he was so I thought I'd post that....He's so significant to music history
in more ways than most people realize. He has wonderful insight and vision and a heart of gold.
These things I say from talking with him, but also...it's what is said about him by others..
The folks on this forum are special, all of you.
I don't think it's an accident that everyone has gathered here..

Harry = Good Guy
Forum = Good People

Vickie
ok that's my sunshine for the day.

By Caleb (209.244.235.245 - 209.244.235.245) on Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 11:56 pm:

Harry,let's hear some more on your background.Yes,you are held in high regard by the SOULFULDETROIT community. Caleb

By Ritchie (62.254.0.7 - 62.254.0.7) on Wednesday, October 02, 2002 - 03:07 am:

Harry - I have to say, you look amazingly youthful for a man of 79 ;)

By David Meikle (213.122.66.140 - 213.122.66.140) on Wednesday, October 02, 2002 - 03:54 am:

Great stuff Harry.....and I'm sure there'll be much more to add to this cv before it's time to put your feet up.

Regards
David

By HW (12.110.192.128 - 12.110.192.128) on Thursday, October 03, 2002 - 06:07 pm:

OK, you got me. Besides, Raplh Terrana came before me and since my stuff is only in his shadow, I must do what he asks of me.

Hey, that article - despite its authorship by an old classmate - has some wrong info etc. so if you really want this, I'll step up and post some information. I am happy to be part of this process - this loving the music. I guess this comes with the territory.

OK, back at ya later.

By Ralph (209.240.198.62 - 209.240.198.62) on Thursday, October 03, 2002 - 07:31 pm:

Harry, We all appreciate everything you have done here. I think I'm in your shadow pal.

By HW (68.37.217.106 - 68.37.217.106) on Monday, October 07, 2002 - 11:52 pm:

So... where were we?

Oh yeah. Loved music since I was a kid. Mostly R&B. And when I was five years old I vividly remember owning five Harry Belafonte albums, all by myself. And we had the same name. Many years later, I was a Hugh Masekela show at SOB's in NYC. Everyone was out on the dance floor. There was Belafonte. We grooved together with dozens of others on serious South African jive. The I told him what I had when I was five. And he hugged me so tight I thought I was still five.

I was in plays in high school. Loved it. But I spent all my time backstage thinking about tunes and Stevie Wonder and the Isleys and hearing music in my head that I dismissed the notion of becoming an actor and became a TV-radio major at Ithaca College in upstate NY. I was music director at the radio station there in my junior year and also did a lot of production work, which served me well later on. Interviewed a lot of artists, felt an affinity - a combination of my creative outlook and my growing knowledge of their stuff, plus a lot of passion for the gig. Always felt a certain comfort talking with anyone who dealt with music for a living, from the players to engineers to record company people who felt strongly about an artist. But radio wasn't for me either. Did an internship at Arista Records. Graduated school, produced syndicated radio shows (including a radio comedy show where I discovered among others Paul Reiser, Larry Miller, some nut named Howie Mandel, Jerry Seinfeld - he declined to be on the show, thought TV would be a good place to start [smack forehead now please] - and I turned down Eddie Murphy the night he got seen by Saturday Night Live).

Worked part-time helping out the music department at WABC Radio when they still played music. That turned into a permanent vacation relief job engineering at WABC (AM) and WPLJ (FM) radio in the Big Apple. Fun stuff. Pat St. John, ruler of NY rock radio who became my pal, got his start at Keener 13 in Detroit. His mother grew up on West Grand Blvd.!

Worked at a radio syndicator, producing, cutting tape, mixing voice to music beds, cutting more tape. I wasn't Russ Terrana but I was good with a razor. Too long a story to tell but all this led to a job - at less pay - writing about radio for Cash Box magazine, still breathing as Billboard's competitor in the early 1980s. That turned into more column gigs. I wrote everything, went to every show in NY, did countless interviews. Me and music and the the people in it embraced each other. Then, of course, after doing three jobs for one small salary the magazine euphemistically 'moved my job to Los Angeles.' Whether I was moving or not.

A year went by, odd gigs, freelancing, blah blah... the guy who was my editor at Cash Box recommended me for a job writing bios and press releases for PolyGram's PR department. Worldwide stuff. Right there for the CD explosion. Freelanced around, got my byline out there. After a few years of a little too much hair rock I drifted to the catalog guys... tucked away somewhere on another floor. Did some liner notes, listened to vault tunes. I was in my element. I still had my gig on the PR floor but I was feeling it, watching it come together. After all, I did production, I was a journalist, I knew the artists, I knew the labels' histories; if I didn't I made sure I did. I could see and hear the music from all sides. At least, I could listen.

[END PART 1 SAYS THE SITE]

By HW (68.37.217.106 - 68.37.217.106) on Monday, October 07, 2002 - 11:59 pm:

[NOW IT SAYS I CAN COME BACK WITH PART 2]

Anyway...

Left PolyGram in summer 1989. Began writing and consulting all over. I made a committment to work on the things I cared about - some percentage of work was handed over to pure commerce of course but I got things going. Rolling Stone, BMI, Chrysalis, Atlantic (pre-Rhino), Sony. Built a one-man business. PolyGram hired me to produce several reissues, the biggest being the James Brown box set, 'Star Time.' In those days, the record came out when you were done. I and a few other guys spent almost 18 months. Shared a Grammy for the booklet notes, in 1992.

A few weeks later PolyGram hired me back, as an A&R guy for the catalog. Then, I figured, I was a lucky freelancer: one big client who was willing to give me an office, a phone, a computer, benefits... a decent gig besides. It's deeper than that but the attitude kept me sane. I've worked on many records. I am glad the internet has search engines to find them all.

Ten years have gone by and I'm hanging in. Through two sales and numerous shifts in personnel, I'm still here and making it work at Universal Music. Learn something new everyday. It's a big playground and there are great people hanging with me.

I had worked on the 'Hitsville USA' box set with Cary Mansfield and in 1994, the Temptations box set with Amy Herot at Motown. When the label moved to NY and their catalog department was being shut in favor of consolidation in that area, I raised my hand. Thanks to their generosity and love for Motown, Amy, Dana Smart, Georgia Ward et al, I was able to continue what they started. Still having fun. Lots to do.

Can I go now?

By John Lester (217.40.205.105 - 217.40.205.105) on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 01:56 am:

Not yet.....!!!!!

and just WHO have you met..

By SisDetroit (67.25.218.189 - 67.25.218.189) on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 03:18 am:

HW - Thank you for the Temptations' Box Set.
Sis

By NISH (66.119.33.167 - 66.119.33.167) on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 10:23 am:

More, more! this "Harry Weinger biography" is a real treat! Sounds like you've had a ball through it all! (I am NOT trying to make a cheesy rhyme). Thanks for all you do, Mr. HW, your meticulous work is a true service to the music.

By Ralph (209.240.198.62 - 209.240.198.62) on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 10:26 am:

Harry,
I'd say you have had a rather interesting journey. Thanks for taking the time to tell us about it. I for one am very impressed.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80 - 64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 10:35 am:

Harry:
I know that you are just across the street from my office and a phone call/email away but I want to say from one Ithaca College grad (Class of 88) to another how much I admire the accomplishments you've achieved and the flame you've kept burning at UMG. Your work has kept so many careers and memories alive and that is not an easy task. Kudos to a great career and keep up the fine work.
Regards,
KevGo

By SisDetroit (67.25.209.142 - 67.25.209.142) on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 11:23 am:

And you've definately won Grammies for those MARVIN GAYE DELUXE SETS. I never dreamed I would hear re-mastered Marvin Gayes (anything remastered). You've had a grand life so far.

Sis

By Vickie (205.188.208.135 - 205.188.208.135) on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 11:33 am:

Harry,
You are dear to many.....
thanks for sharing your gifts and love with the world...

Vickie

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.26 - 193.122.21.26) on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 11:40 am:

Harry,

Thanks for taking the time to give us some of your history.

With all due respect to George Solomon, Cary
Mansfield and all the others the Motown back
catalogue's in the best hands ever.

I find myself buying anthologies I'd probably have ignored before ( because of duplication
of titles I have already on singles, albums etc)
because I know I'll be getting something special.

HW = HallmarkaWality (couldn't resist it )

By Vonnie (207.224.91.43 - 207.224.91.43) on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 - 11:55 am:

Harry! Harry! Harry!

What a pleasure it was meeting you. I now understand the reason you deserve your own post. You keep the music alive and we are so thankful to you.

Sincerely,

Vonnie

By Livonia Ken (136.2.1.153 - 136.2.1.153) on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 - 04:35 pm:

Over the years, Harry has had a knack for coming up with my dream reissues again and again. The Star Time box, pulling together all of the original JBs tracks (including the de-futzed versions of the fake live stuff) into the Funk Power 1970 CD, a Bobby Byrd Anthology, a JBs anthology, a pre-80s Kool & the Gang Anthology, etc. As a fan, I always felt like he was reading my mind. Before I would have a chance to finish complaining about record companies not knowing their catalogs well enough to release stuff like this, Harry & team would have the next monster release coming out.

He thinks like a fan, executes like a pro, and even lays it on the line via direct interaction in public forums. I was happy to see his name on Motown catalog releases starting in 1995.

Thanks, Harry!

By Ed Wolfrum (165.121.214.56 - 165.121.214.56) on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 - 06:17 pm:

Congrads Harry the recognition is well deserved. It is great to have a real "record guy" in care of the Motown catalog rather than the normal corporate "bean counter."

Thanks for your care and great work!

By Ritchie (62.254.0.7 - 62.254.0.7) on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 - 07:13 pm:

Has it occurred to anyone else what a refreshing change it is to see this Forum paying tribute to someone who is not only alive and well, but heavily involved in preserving and promoting "our" music? After a depressing year of sad obituaries, it's just great to salute someone we all admire, while he's still around to hear it.

HW - good on yer.

By Ralph (209.240.198.62 - 209.240.198.62) on Wednesday, October 09, 2002 - 07:36 pm:

I'll second that thought Ritchie!

By HW (68.37.217.106 - 68.37.217.106) on Thursday, October 10, 2002 - 08:35 pm:

hey I still got a long way to go!

anyway... thanks everyone - it's just the music talking

By Eli (64.12.96.230 - 64.12.96.230) on Saturday, October 12, 2002 - 08:08 am:

Harry,

Sorry I missed you at the Jimmy Scott booksigning at Borders as I had a gig in Philly that day, although I am pleased that you and Vonnie met. She was my very first girlfriend when we were very early teens at a time when I first discovered Motown and had a life altering experience in many ways.
Thanks again for the wonderful cd's which you graciously forwarded to me!! Your work is second to none.

Bobby Eli

By Clay (66.73.177.205 - 66.73.177.205) on Saturday, October 12, 2002 - 09:26 am:

Where would the writers and producers be without Harry? I don't even want to think about it!!!!!!
THANKS for being there HW. I only hope that the label appreciates you as much as we do!!!!!!!!! Peace

By HW (68.37.217.106 - 68.37.217.106) on Saturday, October 12, 2002 - 10:25 am:

Clay, I appreciate that but - I would have nothing to do if not for people like you doing YOUR job.

BOBBY! - email me at harryweinger@yahoo.com