Pete Welding

Pete J. Welding (15 November 1935 – 17 November 1995) was an American historian, archivist, and record producer specializing in jazz and blues.

Born in Philadelphia, United States, Welding worked as a journalist for Down Beat magazine and occasionally freelanced for other publications including Rolling Stone. In 1962 he moved to Chicago and, inspired by Bob Koester at Delmark Records, founded Testament Records in 1963 to issue recordings of blues and black folk song.

As a producer with credits encompassing Blind Connie Williams, Big Joe Williams, Robert Nighthawk, Peg Leg Howell, Doctor Ross, Mississippi Fred McDowell, J. B. Hutto, Bo Diddley, Otis Spann, Jean-Luc Ponty, Charlie Musselwhite, The Jazz Crusaders and Johnny Shines, Welding was known for discovering talent in unusual places. In 1961, while doing research for a prospective album on Philadelphia street singers, he was approached by Herb Gart, who found blues singer Doug Quattlebaum "driving a "Mister Softee" ice cream truck — with his guitar plugged into the truck's amplification system, entertaining the kids with his blues!", resulting in an album financed by Moe of Manny, Moe and Jack (Pep Boys) eventually titled Softee Man Blues. Notably, he co-produced Quicksilver Messenger Service's debut album with Nick Gravenites and Harvey Brooks in 1968.