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People & Places

KAL MANN

Kal Mann.png

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Dave Appell                Madara & White         Quincy Jones                   Thom Bell                   Dave White                  Joe Renzetti

Harry Chipetz             Billy Jackson              Joe Tarsia

Dick Clark                   Harold Lipsius            Jimmy Wisner

Linda Creed                Leroy Lovett               Sigma Sound Studios

Gamble & Huff           Bernie Lowe               The Shubert Building

Jimmy lenner             Artie Singer                Cameo Parkway Records

Roy Stragis                 Kal Mann

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A Brief History

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Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mann began his career in entertainment as a comedy writer for Danny Thomas and Red Buttons, until his friend and songwriter, Bernie Lowe, encouraged him to try writing lyrics for the music industry.  Mann co-wrote songs with Lowe and Dave Appell, yielding a number of manor rock and roll hits, such as Charlie Gracie's "Butterfly," which sold more than two million copies and also became a million seller for Andy Williams.  He also co-wrote hits for Elvis Presley, Bobby Rydell and Chubby Checker.  

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In 1956, Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe founded Cameo Records, which later expanded into a subsidiary label called Parkway.  With Parkway they signed an unknown singer, Ernest Evans, to their label.  Ernest Evans would change his name to Chubby Checker, which helped Cameo/Parkway become one of the largest independent record labels in America.  

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John's Memories

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Kal Mann was a great lyric writer and a real nice man.  He was a funny guy and always had a funny story to tell you.  I had a very good relationship with Kal.  

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