The Legendary LiPuma

Tommy LiPuma produced recordings for several major labels for five decades, working with artists such as Barbra Streisand, Miles Davis, Dave Mason, Diana Krall, Al Jarreau, Dr. John, George Benson and dozens more. His work earned him five Grammy Awards and eventually sold over 75 million copies.

Back in the late 1950s, Tommy LiPuma was a young barber in Cleveland, Ohio, but his main love was rhythm and blues music; he played tenor saxophone and was looking for a way out of his situation cutting hair and into the music industry. It’s a fascinating story of how he got his start and how he learned the basic truth that every business starts with respect for the work.

The following is an excerpt from the forthcoming biography of legendary record producer Tommy LiPuma titled The Ballad of, written by Ben Sidran.