Randy Wood RIP

Randy Wood, a Tennessee native who founded Dot Records, died at his La Jolla, California residence at the age of 94. The New York Times carried his obituary in today's editions.

Wood was best known for having white musicians cover R&B hits originally sung by black artists. He also promoted singers such as Pat Boone, celebrities such as Leonard Nimoy, and the band leader Lawrence Welk. For my money, though, his best claim to fame was his recording of Jack Kerouac's Poetry of the Beat Generation accompanied by Steve Allen on piano. Wood promptly disowned the recording, claiming it was in bad taste.