Simon Waronker
Simon Waronker(March 4, 1915 – June 7, 2005) was an Americanviolinistandrecord producerfromLos Angeles, California,best known for co-foundingLiberty Records.
Biography
[edit]Graduating from high school at 13 years old, he won a scholarship to study music inFrance.Waronker began to establish his music career inGermany,but was forced to return to the United States whenNazi Partymembers began tothreatenJews.From 1939 to 1955, Waronker recordedmusicfor20th Century Foxfilms.At least one source described this role as an orchestra contractor.[1]He then chose to enter themusic industryindependently,co-founding Liberty Records and serving as its chairman.[2]
The first artist he signed was popular singerJulie London.
One of the major acts who recorded on Liberty Records wasThe Chipmunks,actuallyRoss Bagdasarian,who recorded asDavid Seville.Seville named The Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore) after Liberty Records executivesAlvin Bennett,Simon Waronker, andTheodore Keep,respectively.
In 1963, facinghealth problems,Waronker sold his interest in Liberty to the electronics firmAvnet.
He died in 2005 at age 90 and is buried atHillside Memorial Park CemeteryinCulver City, California.
Record producerLenny Waronkeris Simon's son. Lenny has five children; musiciansJoey WaronkerandAnna Waronker,interior designerKatherine Waronker, Lily Waronker, and Grace Waronker.
References
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1915 births
- 2005 deaths
- Record producers from California
- American expatriates in France
- American expatriates in Germany
- American people of German-Jewish descent
- Burials at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
- Jewish American musicians
- 20th-century American musicians
- 20th-century American Jews
- 21st-century American Jews
- Waronker family