Al Gallico, 88, an influential music publisher whose firm's copyrights included “Stand By Your Man," “Time of the Season" and “House of the Rising Sun," died of cardiac arrest and pulmonary disease May 15 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Services were Wednesday in Los Angeles.
Al Gallico, one of the leading independent country music publishers in the 1960s and 1970s. His companies' copyrights included “Stand By Your Man," “Almost Persuaded," “The Most Beautiful Girl," “Let Me Be There" and “The House of the Rising Sun." He also discovered country singer Donna Fargo and published her big hit, “The Happiest Girl (In the Whole U.S.A.)" He managed Joe Stampley and helped secure record deals for David Houston, John Anderson, Becky Hobbs and Big Al Downing.
“He was as big a driving force in country music in Nashville, even though he was behind the scenes," said legendary producer/songwriter Billy Sherrill. “He was good friends with Owen (Bradley), Chet (Atkins), Jerry Kennedy and Shelby Singleton, all of the heavyweights."
Gallico joined pop publisher Shapiro-Bernstein in 1953 and, in 1961, established its Painted Desert Music in Nashville. He made monthly trips here while Merle Kilgore ran the Nashville operation. he opened Al Gallico Music Corp. in 1963 and soon signed Sherrill as a writer. Gallico also worked with Glenn Sutton, George Richey and Earl Montgomery. In 1973, the music publisher and Sherrill formed Algee Music.
Although Mr. Gallico sold his country publishing companies, he retained two other companies that had “Time of the Season," “Hold Your Head Up" and “Liar" by 1960s British rock group The Zombies.
Gallico was on the forefront of the British Invasion with hits by the Animals ("House Of The Rising Sun', The Zombies, “She's Not There", and the Kinks, “You Really Got Me" , he got Freddie and The Dreamers to cut one of our songs.
A Nashville memorial will be held at a later date.
Al Gallico, one of the leading independent country music publishers in the 1960s and 1970s. His companies' copyrights included “Stand By Your Man," “Almost Persuaded," “The Most Beautiful Girl," “Let Me Be There" and “The House of the Rising Sun." He also discovered country singer Donna Fargo and published her big hit, “The Happiest Girl (In the Whole U.S.A.)" He managed Joe Stampley and helped secure record deals for David Houston, John Anderson, Becky Hobbs and Big Al Downing.
“He was as big a driving force in country music in Nashville, even though he was behind the scenes," said legendary producer/songwriter Billy Sherrill. “He was good friends with Owen (Bradley), Chet (Atkins), Jerry Kennedy and Shelby Singleton, all of the heavyweights."
Gallico joined pop publisher Shapiro-Bernstein in 1953 and, in 1961, established its Painted Desert Music in Nashville. He made monthly trips here while Merle Kilgore ran the Nashville operation. he opened Al Gallico Music Corp. in 1963 and soon signed Sherrill as a writer. Gallico also worked with Glenn Sutton, George Richey and Earl Montgomery. In 1973, the music publisher and Sherrill formed Algee Music.
Although Mr. Gallico sold his country publishing companies, he retained two other companies that had “Time of the Season," “Hold Your Head Up" and “Liar" by 1960s British rock group The Zombies.
Gallico was on the forefront of the British Invasion with hits by the Animals ("House Of The Rising Sun', The Zombies, “She's Not There", and the Kinks, “You Really Got Me" , he got Freddie and The Dreamers to cut one of our songs.
A Nashville memorial will be held at a later date.
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