Robert Shad Dies at 65; Veteran Record Producer

Robert Shad, a veteran record executive probably best known for his productions at Mercury Records during the seminal stages of modern jazz, died of a heart attack Wednesday at his Beverly Hills home.

He was 65 and had retired in 1977 after forming his own label, Mainstream, 10 years earlier.

Shad came to Mercury in 1951 and for nearly 10 years was the artist and repertory executive for that label.

The artists he developed and recorded there included Sarah Vaughan, Maynard Ferguson, Julian (Cannonball) Adderley, Erroll Garner, Quincy Jones, Carmen McRae, the Platters, Billy Eckstine, Gerry Mulligan and Andre Previn. He also was responsible for creation of Mercury’s renowned Emarcy jazz label.

His daughter, Tami, said his interests in modern musical trends began when he was a young man and traveled the South with a tape recorder, seeking out new talent.

He started in the recording industry in 1946 with National Records and then moved to Mercury in New York, where he lived until several years ago.

The first album he recorded on Mainstream involved Michel LeGrand conducting and Sarah Vaughan singing LeGrand’s songs.

At his death, Shad had produced more than 800 albums, said Leonard Feather, jazz critic for The Times.

“He was not just commercial,” Feather said. “He recorded mainly what he believed in.”

Besides his daughter, Shad is survived by his wife, Molly, and four grandchildren.