Lawrence Cohn

Lawrence Cohn is best known as one of the creators of Legacy Recordings, a branch of Sony Music Entertainment and as the originator and producer of the Roots 'N' Blues series.

Cohn was educated as a lawyer and became Vice-President of CBS/Epic Records and later head of Playboy Records and Music. One of his responsibilities at CBS was to co-supervise the Country Music Division. He was also COO & minor partner in the short-lived CBS Records-Bob Dylan generated label, "Accomplice Records." [1980-82] He has continued his career as a producer, writer and critic. He wrote Movietone Presents the Twentieth Century (New York : Saint Martin's Press, 1976) and edited Nothing But The Blues : The Music and the Musicians (New York : Abbeville Press, 1993).

He has eight Grammy Award nominations and won Grammy Award for Best Historical Album in 1991 for the "Robert Johnson : The Complete Recordings" project. In the same year he also received the W. C. Handy Award for his work on Robert Johnson and was honored with a Special Distinction Award by the Blues Foundation for his "Contribution to the Blues." Moreover, Sony Music provided him with their first President's Award, for his work on Robert Johnson. He was also selected as one of the "100 Most Important People In The Music Business." [BAM, 1991[

During his tenure at both CBS & Playboy, he was responsible in various ways for the Discovery/Signing/Producing/Career Decisions of many artists including but not limited to: Billy Joel [as "Attila"], Willie Nelson, REO Speedwagon, Cheap Trick [as "Fuse"], Edgar Winter, White Trash, Johnny Winter, Fleetwood Mac [Peter Green version], Shuggie Otis, Johnny Otis, Sugarcane Harris, The Johnny Otis Show, Ivory Joe Hunter, ABBA [as "Bjorn & Benny"], Jo Ann Kelly, Brenda Patterson, Sam Phillips [productions], Wayne Cochran & the CC Riders, Lead Belly [first live concert], Otis Blackwell, Gene Austin, Rufus [pre-Chaka Khan], Max Weinberg ["Blackstone"], Poco, Tammy Wynette, Charlie Rich, Jim & Jesse, Bob Luman, David Houston, Jim Messina, Terry Reid, Mashmakan [Canadian super group], Gary Busey ["Carp"], Redbone, CHASE.

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