Hugh Mendl
August 6, 1919 – July 7, 2008
Hugh Mendl started his music career in the early ’40s when his grandfather, then chairman of Decca Records gave him his first job as a producer at the label. He stayed there for some 40 years. Over the years, the label followed Mendl’s great ear by signing such acts as Lonnie Donegan, the Moody Blues, Genesis, David Bowie and John Mayall. One act that the label famously did ignore his pleas to sign was the Beatles. Mendl eventually grew disillusioned with business and retired to become an antique dealer. He passed away in 2008 at the age of 89.