On This Date (July 7, 2008) Hugh Mendl / Influential Decca Producder
themusicsover 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.
Harvey Fuqua was a much respected R&B performer, songwriter and producer who is mostly remembered for his longtime association with Motown Records. In 1951, Fuqua formed the Moonglows, a popular doo wop group who recorded such hits as “Sincerely,” “Don’t Be Afraid of Love,” and “Ten Commandments of Love.” In 1958, Fuqua recruited a young singer, 
Van McCoy was a musician, producer, arranger and prolific songwriter who has penned upwards of 700 songs during his career. But, he is perhaps best remembered for just one, “The Hustle,” which was massive disco hit of 1975 and to this day, arguably defines the era. McCoy began singing in the church choir as a child and by his early teens, he and his brother were performing as a doo wop duo. While in college, McCoy started his own record label to release his first single, “Hey Mr. DJ.” He was soon hired by Scepter Records as an A&R rep and songwriter. Over the years, he penned hits for Gladys Knight & The Pips (“Giving Up”), Barbara Lewis (“Baby, I’m Yours”), the Shirelles (“Stop The Music”) and 
A young Barry White was going down a wrong path when he heard 
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