Editing Record producer (section)

=== Record producers ===

After [[World War II]], pioneering A&R managers who transitioned influentially to record production as now understood, while sometimes owning independent labels, include [[J. Mayo Williams]] and [[John Hammond (record producer)|John Hammond]].{{sfn | Ward | Huber | 2018 | p=300}} Upon moving from Columbia Records to [[Mercury Records]], Hammond appointed [[Mitch Miller]] to lead Mercury's popular recordings in New York.{{sfn | Ward | Huber | 2018 | p=300}} Miller then produced country-pop crossover hits by [[Patti Page]] and by [[Frankie Laine]], moved from Mercury to Columbia, and became a leading A&R man of the 1950s.{{sfn | Ward | Huber | 2018 | p=300}}

During the decade, A&R executives increasingly directed songs' sonic signatures, although many still simply teamed singers with musicians, while yet others exercised virtually no creative influence.{{sfn | Ward | Huber | 2018 | p=300}} The term ''record producer'' in its current meaning—the creative director of song production—appearing in a 1953 issue of ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine, became widespread in the 1960s.{{sfn | Ward | Huber | 2018 | p=300}} Still, a formal distinction was elusive for some time more.{{sfn | Ward | Huber | 2018 | p=300}} A&R managers might still be creative directors, like [[William "Mickey" Stevenson]], hired by [[Berry Gordy]], at the [[Motown]] record label.{{sfn | Ward | Huber | 2018 | p=283}}