McCuen, Brad, 1921-2002

Brad McCuen was born on May 17, 1921 in New York City’s Manhattan. At age 15, McCuen’s interest in jazz and swing music was sparked by a gift of recordings from orchestra leader Red Norvo. McCuen attended University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and while majoring in journalism, McCuen took summer jobs in radio stations. McCuen fought in World War II at Normandy, and after his discharge, sold records for Majestic Brands in New York. From 1948 until 1969 McCuen worked for RCA Victor Record Division as Atlanta and Chicago regional fieldman, music director and then producer of special recordings, and finally as producer in artists and repertoire. His accomplishments in RCA included numerous Grammy awards and nominations, along with the popular (and to some extent, commercial) success of various reissue series, including the popular “Vintage Series” and “Reader’s Digest” series of recordings.

After a brief tenure as professional manager of Sunbury-Dunbar Music publishing, McCuen founded his own record label called Mega Records in Nashville, Tennessee. A few of the artists brought Mega notable success, but after establishing and/or acquiring four music publishing firms, and creating a new label, McCuen sold Mega and became a partner in Record Row Associates.

McCuen spent the remainder of his career as a director of the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC), host of a popular syndicated jazz radio program, instructor of music industry at Belmont College, judge for the American Song Festival, but also as a music industry consultant for various artists, record companies, associations and organizations, radio stations, publishers, and the NARAS. McCuen’s memberships in various organizations and services on boards and committees are too numerous to list here. Brad McCuen went into semi-retirement in 1979, and died in Knoxville on June 9, 2002.