Hammond's Folly

Bob Dylan signed a recording contract with Columbia Records on October 26, 1961. Legendary A&R man John Hammond discovered Dylan and brought him to the label over the objections of Columbia executives, who dubbed the signing "Hammond's Folly."

Of course we have shelves of books about Dylan, but why not learn more about the career of Hammond, who also played a major role in launching the careers of Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Aretha Franklin and Bruce Springsteen? Hammond was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, and you'll find a brief biography and timeline on their website. We have several books in our collection about him:

• John Hammond on Record: An Autobiography with Irving Townsend (ML429.H253 A3)
• The Producer: John Hammond and the Soul of American Music by Dunstan Prial (ML429.H26 P75 2006)