Joe Galante

Last updated

Joe Galante (born December 18, 1949, New York City, NY) is an American music industry executive. He is noted for his role in developing the careers of Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Alabama, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, Vince Gill, Clint Black, Miranda Lambert, and The Judds, among others. [1] [2]

Contents

Galante was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame by Kix Brooks in 2022 alongside Keith Whitley and Jerry Lee Lewis. [3]

RCA

Galante began working at RCA Records in New York in 1971. He was transferred to RCA Nashville in 1974; although originally intended to be a temporary stay, Galante remained in Nashville as a director at the label. [4] During the early years of his career, he was criticized because he lacked a traditional background in the music industry. Galante continued to be promoted at the label, becoming vice president of promotion and marketing. In 1982, he was named head of RCA's Nashville division; then 32, he became the youngest person ever named to run a major country record label, succeeding Jerry Bradley. [1]

In 1990, Galante returned to New York to become national president of RCA Records. He returned to Nashville in 1995 to run the RCA and BNA labels in Nashville as chairman RLG/Nashville. [5] He was named chairman of Sony Music Nashville in 2007 and served in that position until 2010. [2]

With Galante as president, RCA Records was the number-one country label for 11 years in a row. He was presented with the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award by the Opry Trust Fund to honor his work for country music and RCA on February 10, 2015. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chet Atkins</span> American country music guitarist (1924–2001)

Chester Burton Atkins, also known as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nashville sound, the country music style which expanded its appeal to adult pop music fans. He was primarily a guitarist, but he also played the mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and ukulele, and occasionally sang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waylon Jennings</span> American country musician (1937–2002)

Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He is considered one of the pioneers of the outlaw movement in country music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Paycheck</span> American country singer (1938–2003)

Johnny Paycheck was an American country music singer and Grand Ole Opry member notable for recording the David Allan Coe song "Take This Job and Shove It". He achieved his greatest success in the 1970s as a force in country music's "outlaw movement" popularized by artists Hank Williams Jr., Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, and Merle Haggard. In 1980, Paycheck appeared on the PBS music program Austin City Limits, though in the ensuing decade, his music career slowed due to drug, alcohol, and legal problems. He served a prison sentence in the early 1990s, and his declining health effectively ended his career in early 2000. In autographs, Paycheck signed his name "PayCheck".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Whitley</span> American country singer (1954–1989)

Jackie Keith Whitley was an American country music singer and songwriter. During his career, he released only two albums but charted 12 singles on the Billboard country charts, and 7 more after his death.

<i>Folk-Country</i> 1966 studio album by Waylon Jennings

Folk-Country is the major-label debut album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released in 1966 on RCA Victor. It is his first collaboration with producer Chet Atkins.

<i>Lonesome, Onry and Mean</i> 1973 studio album by Waylon Jennings

Lonesome, On'ry and Mean is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1973. It was, after Good Hearted Woman and Ladies Love Outlaws, the third in a series of albums which were to establish Jennings as one of the most prominent representatives of the outlaw country movement. Photographer Mick Rock shot the album's cover.

<i>Honky Tonk Heroes</i> 1973 studio album by Waylon Jennings

Honky Tonk Heroes is a country music album by Waylon Jennings, released in 1973 on RCA Victor. With the exception of the final track on the album, "We Had It All", all of the songs on the album were written or co-written by Billy Joe Shaver. The album is considered an important piece in the development of the outlaw sub-genre in country music as it revived the honky tonk music of Nashville and added elements of rock and roll to it.

<i>This Time</i> (Waylon Jennings album) 1974 studio album by Waylon Jennings

This Time is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1974, at the peak of the outlaw country movement. It was produced by Jennings and Willie Nelson.

<i>Dreaming My Dreams</i> (Waylon Jennings album) 1975 studio album by Waylon Jennings

Dreaming My Dreams is the twenty-second studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings. The album was co-produced with Jack Clement and recorded at Glaser Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, between February and July 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Schlitz</span> American country singer-songwriter

Donald Allen Schlitz Jr. is an American songwriter who has written more than a score of number one hits on the country music charts. He is best known for his song "The Gambler", and as the co-writer of "Forever and Ever, Amen", and "When You Say Nothing at All". For his songwriting efforts, Schlitz has earned two Grammy Awards, as well as four ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mack Vickery</span> American singer-songwriter

Mack Vickery, also known as Atlanta James and Vick Vickers, was an American musician, songwriter, and inductee in the Hillbilly Hall of Fame and Alabama Music Hall of Fame. His songs have been recorded by artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Waylon Jennings, George Thorogood, Johnny Cash, George Strait, Hank Williams Jr., George Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waymore's Outlaws</span> American country band

The Waylors, later Waymore's Outlaws, is a country music band, best known as the backing and recording band of country music singer Waylon Jennings. Jennings formed the band in 1961, consisting of Jerry Gropp on the guitar and Richie Albright on the drums after moving to Phoenix, Arizona. The band earned a local fan base during its appearances on the night club JD's.

<i>The Words Dont Fit the Picture</i> 1972 studio album by Willie Nelson

The Words Don't Fit the Picture is the 14th studio album by country singer Willie Nelson.

<i>Looks Like Rain</i> 1969 studio album by Mickey Newbury

Looks Like Rain is a 1969 concept album by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury. After recording his debut album with RCA, Newbury was dissatisfied with the resulting album and left RCA to pursue a style closer to his tastes. Recorded at Cinderella Sound, as his next two albums would be, the result is widely considered his first real recording and represents a peak in the singer songwriter movement, especially for Nashville. The sound and style of the record would be highly influential during the Outlaw Movement during country music in the 1970s especially on albums by David Allan Coe and Waylon Jennings. Linking the tracks with delicate arrangements and liberal amount of atmosphere, the record contains some of Newbury's most celebrated compositions including "She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye", "33rd of August", "I Don't Think Much About Her No More", and "San Francisco Mabel Joy". AllMusic's review of the album concludes, "Looks Like Rain is so fine, so mysterious in its pace, dimension, quark strangeness and charm, it defies any attempt at strict categorization or criticism; a rare work of genius."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony Music Nashville</span> Country music branch of Sony Music Entertainment

Sony Music Nashville is the country music branch of the Sony Music Group.

RCA Nashville is an American country music record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is distributed by Sony Music Nashville which is part of Sony Music.

RCA Country Legends is a series of compilation albums highlighting various RCA Victor recording artists from the country music genre.

Robby Turner is an American pedal steel guitarist, best known for his work with Waylon Jennings and his contributions to recordings by many other artists.

Jerry Owen Bradley was an American music executive known for his role in country music. As head of RCA Records in Nashville from 1973 to 1982, Bradley was involved in the marketing and creation of the first platinum album in country music, Wanted! The Outlaws, which reached that mark in 1976. Bradley was inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019.

Colin Escott is a British music historian and author specializing in early U.S. rock and roll and country music. His works include a biography of Hank Williams, histories of Sun Records and The Grand Ole Opry, liner notes for more than 500 albums and compilations, and major contributions to stage and television productions. Honors include multiple Grammy Awards and a Tony Award nomination.

References

  1. 1 2 Evans Price, Deborah (February 11, 2015). "Nashville Exec Joe Galante Receives Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award". Billboard. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  2. 1 2 Paulsen, Dave (April 14, 2010). "Sony Music Nashville chairman Joe Galante announces departure: updated". The Tennessean. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  3. "Keith Whitley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Joe Galante are headed to the Country Music Hall of Fame".
  4. "Joe Galante Announces Exit From Sony Music Nashville". The Boot. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  5. West, Kay (November 6, 2003). "They Barked, He Bit Back". Nashville Scene. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  6. "Opry Trust Fund Honors Joe Galante". CMA Close Up Magazine. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-10-19.