Dick Rowe

Dick Rowe (died 6 June 1986) was an A&R man at Decca Records from the 1950s to the 1960s.

He was one of the most important producers and record executives in the United Kingdom in the 1950s and early 1960s and is the man who signed The Rolling Stones, Them (Van Morrison), The Moody Blues, The Animals, The Zombies, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, The Tornados, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck and The Small Faces.

As a producer he had several number ones in the singles chart, and his discography includes:

• The Stargazers: "Broken Wings" released Feb 1953
• Lita Roza: "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?" Mar 1953
• Jimmy Young: "Unchained Melody" Apr 1955
• Jimmy Young: "The Man from Laramie" Sep 1955
• Dickie Valentine: "Christmas Alphabet" Nov 1955
• Jet Harris and Tony Meehan: "Diamonds" 1963
• Engelbert Humperdinck: some tracks on "Greatest Love Songs"
• Them/Van Morrison: "Baby Please Don't Go" and "Gloria"
• The Bachelors: "My Charmaine"

In addition:

• Al Hibbler: "Unchained Melody (reached number 3 in the Billboard charts in 1955)
• Billy Fury: "Halfway to Paradise" (reached number 2 in 1961 in the UK)
• Billy Fury: "Jealousy" (reached number 2 in 1961)
• Jet Harris and Tony Meehan: "Scarlett O'Hara" (reached number 2 in 1963)
• Jet Harris and Tony Meehan: "Applejack" (reached number 4 in 1963)
• The Bachelors: "Marta" Jul 1967 (reached number 20)
• Neil Reid: "Mother Of Mine" Dec 1971 (reached number 2)

For lovers of Shadows-style twanging, he occupied a unique spot in UK pop history.

He is historically presented in popular musical history as one of the men who did not sign The Beatles. This is somewhat unfair as he, unlike most A&R men, was at least willing to give the Beatles an audition. He has often been quoted as saying "Guitar groups are on their way out, Mr. Epstein". However, this attribution is uncertain and unproven, as the Beatles were turned down in favour of Brian Poole and The Tremeloes, who themselves were a guitar group. He did not make the same gaffe twice as he made an offer to The Rolling Stones after their audition, thanks to an introduction and encouragement from George Harrison.

Rowe died of diabetes on 6 June 1986. His son, Richard Rowe works in music publishing (and made the deal to create a joint partnership with Michael Jackson to publish The Beatles catalogue as Sony/ATV when he ran the publishing division of Sony Music).

References

• Ian Whitcomb