Bob Thiele
Bob Thiele, born Robert Thiele on July 27, 1922, in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York, was a prominent American record producer and record label founder. His career spanned nearly six decades, from 1936 until his death on January 30, 1996, in Manhattan, New York.
Thiele's early foray into music began at the age of 14 when he hosted a jazz radio show. A clarinet player, he led a band in New York and founded the Signature label at 17, recording jazz greats like Lester Young, Erroll Garner, and Coleman Hawkins. After Signature folded in the late 1940s, Thiele joined American Decca in 1952, producing for its Coral subsidiary. Notably, he produced sessions for Buddy Holly and was involved in the posthumous "Buddy Holly Story" album.
In 1961, Thiele became the head of Impulse! Records, where he worked with jazz legends such as John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, and Sonny Rollins. He co-wrote the iconic song "What a Wonderful World," recorded by Louis Armstrong. After leaving ABC Records, the parent of Impulse, in 1968, he founded Flying Dutchman Productions and later established several other labels, including Doctor Jazz and Red Baron.
Thiele's contributions extended to the Bluesway label, producing albums for B.B. King and other blues artists. His later years saw him working with musicians like Gato Barbieri and David Murray. Thiele remained active in the music industry until his death, leaving behind a legacy that included his memoir, "What a Wonderful World," published in 1995. He was married to several women, including singer Teresa Brewer, and was the father of Bob Thiele Jr.
App
