Harry Balk
| Harry Balk | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Tom King |
| Born |
October 1, 1925 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | December 3, 2016 (aged 91) Oak Park, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer, A&R, music business executive |
| Years active | Late 1940s– 2016 |
| Labels | Twirl, Impact, Inferno, Rare Earth |
Harry Balk (October 1, 1925 – December 3, 2016) was an American A&R man, record producer and record label executive. He discovered Little Willie John, Johnny and the Hurricanes, and Rodriguez; co-produced Del Shannon's 1961 hit "Runaway"; established several record labels; and became head of A&R at Motown where he was particularly influential on the career of Marvin Gaye.
The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Balk was born in the 12th Street area of Detroit, Michigan. As a young man he managed the Krim Theatre, owned by his uncle, and began running talent contests through which he discovered Little Willie John in the early 1950s. Balk became his manager, and guided John to a successful career with such songs as "Need Your Love So Bad" and "Fever" before eventually tiring of his unreliability.
Balk then established a business partnership with former furrier Irving Micahnik (1905–1978), and the pair set up Embee Productions (upstairs in the Carmen Theatre building at 5760 Schaefer Rd., Dearborn, MI 48126) and Twirl Records in 1959. They signed Johnny and the Hurricanes, and produced several of their recordings including "Red River Rock". The band specialized in reworking out-of-copyright traditional tunes, on which Balk acquired co-writing credits under the name Tom King, with Micahnik co-credited as Ira Mack. Balk and Micahnik leased many of their recordings to other labels, including Warwick and later Big Top. The pair also produced Del Shannon's hit "Runaway" and its follow-up "Hats Off to Larry", as well as "What's Your Name", a top ten hit for Don and Juan. Balk and Michanik retained control over their leased master recordings, effectively becoming the first successful independent producers. A long running legal dispute between Shannon and Embee led to Shannon being unable to release recordings for several years.
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