Died On This Date (August 25, 2009) Berle Adams / Former Label Executive & Agent

Berle Adams (Born Beryl Adasky)
June 11, 1917 – August 25, 2009

adams_berleBerle Adams was a longtime music industry executive who, through his career was Vice President of MCA and co-founded Mercury Records.  Adams began his career as an agent, representing such acts as Coleman Hawkins and Louis Jordan.  He later formed his own agency as well as a couple of publishing companies.  In 1945, he co-founded Mercury Records, quickly releasing hits by the likes of Vic Damone and Frankie Laine.  In 1950, Lew Wasserman hired Adams at MCA where he stayed for the next two decades, working mostly in television.  While with MCA, Adams formed Uni Records who signed the Who, Neil Diamond and Elton John to name a few.  In 1971, Adams left MCA to work for the William Morris Agency.  Berle Adams passed away on August 25, 2009 at the age of 92.



Died On This Date (September 22, 2008) Connie Haines / Prolific Big Band Singer

Connie Haines (Born Yvonne JaMais)
January 20, 1921 – September 22, 2008

With Frank Sinatra
With Frank Sinatra

Connie Haines was a prolific big band singer whose voice could be heard on over 200 recordings.  She was just four years old when she began performing publicly, and by the time she reached her early teens, she was a regular on local radio programs.   Throughout her career, Haines performed or recorded with Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra, Harry James and Frankie Laine.  She died of myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disease, at the age of 87.