Jump to content

What are they worth


mrjazzman

Recommended Posts

Gerald Wilson told me he has seven homes across the planet. Who are/were the richest jazz musicians. Miles must have made a ton of money. Benny Golson says you need "lots of money" I think Lionel Hampton had lots of green stuff. From the 40's to the 00's, who made the most money??????

Edited by mrjazzman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 52
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Seven homes?! That's similar to the number of homes owned by the highest paid actors and pop stars. Compared to them Gerald Wilson is certainly an obscure figure and I doubt he had any albums that went "multi platinum". His wealth creation had to involve something other than just his music.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seven homes?! That's similar to the number of homes owned by the highest paid actors and pop stars. Compared to them Gerald Wilson is certainly an obscure figure and I doubt he had any albums that went "multi platinum". His wealth creation had to involve something other than just his music.

He was doing arrangements and bandleading for Julie London (I think), (definitely) Sam Cooke and Ray Charles and others. I think he did a hell of a lot of music that isn't regarded as jazz.

MG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seven homes?! That's similar to the number of homes owned by the highest paid actors and pop stars. Compared to them Gerald Wilson is certainly an obscure figure and I doubt he had any albums that went "multi platinum". His wealth creation had to involve something other than just his music.

He was doing arrangements and bandleading for Julie London (I think), (definitely) Sam Cooke and Ray Charles and others. I think he did a hell of a lot of music that isn't regarded as jazz.

MG

I see. That's interesting and explains a lot. Now that you mention it, I do recall his working with Ray Charles. Did not know about Sam Cooke.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just confirmed he did work with Julie London

Julie+London+-+Feeling+Good+-+LP+RECORD-

Big billing, too, on the front.

I can remember him getting a credit on Cooke's 'Frankie and Johnny'/'Cool train', the latter of which is one of his best. Unpostable images here:

http://www.45cat.com/record/478215

MG


I'd have thought publishing would make a big difference. In which case Ellington can't have done too badly.

Yes, but...

A lot of Duke's publishing/composing royalties were ripped off by Irving Mills, his manager.

A lot of the royalties he did get were put into subsidising his continuing to run a big band when it wasn't economical.

I don't think he was poor by any means, though.

MG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Harvey Cohen's book Duke Ellington's America, explores in detail his finances and although he was keeping everyone afloat, lending money to band members and remaining profitable as a big band on the road when it was finanically impossible for virtually everyone else, it was largely funded by largesse of the record labels banking on future loyalties.

Miles Davis has to be in there somewhere -and cetainly his estate. But then again, he wasn't a composer, so that has to be factored in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gerald Wilson told me he has seven homes across the planet. Who are/were the richest jazz musicians. Miles must have made a ton of money. Benny Golson says you need "lots of money" I think Lionel Hampton had lots of green stuff. From the 40's to the 00's, who made the most money??????

I'm sorry, but this can't be true. That is, I don't believe he owns seven homes. It makes no sense. I've spent a lot of time researching his life and career and speaking with him and there has never been a hint of anything like this or that level of wealth. However, he has said to me that he considers a lot of cities "home," including Los Angeles where he's been based since landing there with Lunceford in 1940; Detroit, where he came of age as musician, attending high school at Cass Tech; Chicago, where he was stationed during the navy; etc. In what context did he say he has seven homes across the planet? FWIW, he made a comfortable living as an arranger-composer for hire and had his hand in lots of musical activities but that doesn't get you to Brubeck or Quincy money.

Edited by Mark Stryker
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You don't have to make all that much of a whole lot of money to invest it wisely over the years and then end up with a whole lot of money.

Or make a shit load from royalties on compositions. Horace Silver's home in Santa Monica over looked the Pacific ocean. That has to be worth some money. In his autobiography, Horace mentions making money from his publishing company. He learnt this from JJ Johnson and Gigi Gryce.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know his worth, but bass player Harry Goodman (Benny's bruvver) must have (or have had) a bob or two. He and another brother, Gene, started Regent Music in the early 40s; in the late 40s got a 50% interest in Arc Music (L Chess was the partner), then Sylvia Music, Conrad Music (VJ's publisher). The value of those copyrights is still immense.

MG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Charles Lloyd's said to have taken his flush of income from the Dream Weaver/Forest Flower years & invested in California real estate, which resulted in him becoming a millionaire in not to much time and having the ability to work when and how he wanted even to this day.

Although many "jazz musicians" never really made/make any money, some have/do, so then it's a question of what do/did they do with it, same as anybody else who has some money to do something with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gerald Wilson told me he has seven homes across the planet. Who are/were the richest jazz musicians. Miles must have made a ton of money. Benny Golson says you need "lots of money" I think Lionel Hampton had lots of green stuff. From the 40's to the 00's, who made the most money??????

Hampton made 6 figure donations to Republican political causes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...