Jerry Moss, whose last name provided the “M” in A&M Records and who helped grow the label from a small, jazz-oriented operation into a rock powerhouse, died Wednesday at his Bel Air home at age 88.
“They truly don’t make them like him anymore and we will miss conversations with him about everything under the sun — the twinkle in his eyes as he approached every moment ready for the next adventure,” his family wrote in an online obituary announcing his death.
“Jerry was handsome and a man of the people, with wit and charms that made him approachable and relatable to everyone he encountered,” according to the family.
“He spoke eloquently and poetically, and though he did not need to say a lot to command the attention in the room, we all indulged in hearing his thoughts, memories and ideas. We respected him for his accomplishments, but adored him for his kindness. Jerry was a strong, genuine, intelligent, resilient, and hilariously funny, man. He had a sense of humor that would surprise people when they were taking themselves too seriously, or being too dramatic.”
According to the family, Moss died of “complications from old age.”
A New York native, Moss teamed up with pal Herb Alpert to form A&M Records, which initially gained traction in the 1960s thanks to Alpert and his Tijuana Brass band. But with the rapid emergence of rock ‘n’ roll, Moss pushed to expand the label’s reach, and it landed early acts including Joe Cocker and Gene Clark, later adding to its roster names such as Peter Frampton, Janet Jackson, Quincy Jones, The Police, Supertramp, the Go-Go’s and Bryan Adams.
Frampton’s monster-hit album “Frampton Comes Alive” and other successes such as Supertramp’s “Breakfast in America” and Carole King’s “Tapestry” made A&M Records one of the most successful labels in the business. It operated out of Charlie Chaplin’s original studio lot.
Moss and Alpert sold the label to Polygram in the 1980s for a reported $500 million. They continued to work for the label but left over creative differences with management in the early 1990s. For several years, the pair operated a small label known as Almo Sounds.
In the early 2000s, Moss turned his attentions to thoroughbred horses, and their horse Giacomo won the Kentucky Derby in 2005.
Moss also was a noted philanthropist, establishing the Moss Scholars program at UCLA for art, architecture and music students, while also endowing the Moss Foundation Chair in Gastrointestinal and Personalized Surgery at the university. He donated to a variety of health care causes, while also backing organizations including the Geffen Playhouse, the Hammer Museum, KCRW and the ACLU.
In addition, he was a major donor to The Music Center in downtown Los Angeles, which now includes the Jerry Moss Plaza.
“Jerry was an incredible inspiration for artists and had a keen ability to help them explore and hone their craft,” Music Center President/CEO Rachel S. Moore said in a statement. “His remarkable talent and his partnership with Herb Alpert led to the creation of one of the record industry’s most successful labels.
“The Music Center is very grateful for the longstanding support of Tina and Jerry Moss and honored to name our expansive plaza as Jerry Moss Plaza in 2020. Jerry was dedicated to giving back to the community by supporting arts experiences that resonate in the hearts and minds of all Angelenos and meaningfully impact their lives. His artistic influence and business savvy, along with the opportunities he provided for numerous extraordinarily talented artists, changed the course of music forever. That was his gift to us all.”
Moss was also an avid art collector, owning works by Picasso, Jawlensky, Basquiat, Warhol and Magritte.
He is survived by his wife Tina and his children Ron, Jennifer, Harrison and Daniela, along with five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Funeral services are expected to be held this weekend in Westwood.