Syd Nathan

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  • Year:
    1997
  • Inducted by:
    Seymour Stein
  • Category:
    Ahmet Ertegun Award
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Introduction

Eccentric and at times unorthodox, but he got results.

Music exec Syd Nathan discovered an entire roster of R&B talents, including James Brown and Hank Ballard. He took a chance on artists no one else would, and it paid off in a major way.

Hall of Fame Essay

1997

Seymour Stein

When I was in high school between 1957 and 1961, both my life and career began to take shape under the tutelage of legendary Billboard music editor Paul Ackerman and then-chart editor Tom Noonan, who first opened the magazine’s doors to a fifteen-year-old kid. At that time, Billboard was certainly the communications center of the music industry, and what I learned and saw and heard there has indeed served me well over the years.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Program Cover 1997
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