From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Wed May 1, 2002  1:14 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Ralph Bass
 
RALPH BASS

Born Ralph Basso, 1 May 1911, The Bronx, New York City
Died 5 March 1997, aboard an aeroplane

Producer. A pivotal figure in the history of R&B, Bass began his
career during the '40s, promoting live jazz shows in Los Angeles.
He subsequently worked for Black And White Records, producing
"Stormy Monday" by T-Bone Walker and "Open The Door, Richard"
for Jack McVea, but later left to found several small-scale outlets
with releases by Errol Garner and Dexter Gordon. Bass also recorded
(Little) Esther Phillips, the Robins and Johnny Otis for the Savoy label,
and in 1951 became one of the era's first independent producers through
the aegis of the Cincinnati-based King company. Armed with his own
outlet, Federal, and its Armo publishing wing, he built an impressive
roster of acts around Hank Ballard and The Midnighters, the Dominoes
and James Brown, whom Bass signed in 1955 on hearing a demo disc
at an Atlanta radio station. Although initially unimpressed by the singer's
untutored delivery, King managing director Syd Nathan changed his mind
when "Please Please Please" became a best-seller. Brown remained a
Federal artist until 1960 but was switched to the parent label when Bass
departed for Chess. The producer brought Etta James and Pigmeat
Markham to his new employers, and in turn worked with several established
acts, including Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Ramsey Lewis. Bass
remained with the Chess label until the mid-70s when its Chicago
office was closed. He continued to record R&B acts, the masters
from which were latterly compiled on a series of albums under the
generic title, "I Didn't Give A Damn If Whites Bought It".
Bass was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
He died of a heart attack while on board a flight to Nassau, the
Bahamas, to visit his wife.