Arthur Lawrence Artie Kornfeld

born September 9, 1942

 Arthur Lawrence Artie Kornfeld

On the move

Arthur Lawrence Kornfeld, or simply Artie Kornfeld, was born in Brooklyn to Irving Kornfeld, a New York City policeman, and his wife, Shirley.

They also lived in Levittown, but moved other times, too. According to Kornfeld’s site, he attended six different schools including high school in North Carolina in the mid-50s.

Back in New York after high school, Kornfeld started to play guitar and work in the Brill Building, the famous songwriting site where hundreds of hit songs came from.

 Arthur Lawrence Artie Kornfeld

Pied Piper

In 1965 he and Steve Duboff recorded the song “Follow Me, I’m the Pied Piper.” It reached #87 on the Billboard charts. With that song and others, Artie and Steve, billed as The Changin’ Times, opened for Sonny & Cher on their first nationwide tour.

In 1966, British singer Crispian St Peters covered the song. He had much luck with it that summer as it reached #1 in Canada, #4 in the US, and #5 in the UK.

Meets Michael Lang

In 1967, Capital Records hired Kornfeld as the Vice President and Director of Rock Music. As the story goes, it was while Kornfeld was in that position that he met Michael Lang. A kid from the old Brooklyn neighborhood.

That friendship developed the idea for a recording studio. The recording studio idea developed into the idea of a music festival to raise the needed capital.

Woodstock Ventures

Though Lang by 1969 was living in Woodstock, NY, the site he and Kornfeld thought would be perfect for a recording studio, he often slept at Kornfeld’s NYC apartment. From there they began their search for backers who turned out to be Joel Rosenman and John Roberts. The four formed Woodstock Ventures, which went into fabulous debt while producing the most famous music festival of all time.

Artie

Kornfeld is no longer a part of Woodstock Ventures. Roberts and Rosenman bought him out shortly after the event ended. He continues to be active in the music field.

 Arthur Lawrence Artie Kornfeld

Family Stone Greg Errico

born September 1, 1948

From Betty Davis  “Betty Davis” album. Produced by Greg who also played drums on the album

Family Stone Greg Errico

Greg Errico

Happy birthday Greg Errico.

Famously the drummer with Sly and the Family Stone, their first single appeared on a local label in 1967, while their debut album, A Whole New Thing, was released nationally on Epic in 1967.

And of course we recognize the band’s name from the Woodstock Music and Art Fair as the band that brought 400,000 people to their feet during their 3:30 AM set.

In 1993, Greg along with the rest of his band mates from the Family became part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Family Stone Greg Errico

And…

Like many lifetime musicians, Greg Errico’s path has lead to many places. And everyone liked his drumming wherever he went. Joe Zawinul of Weather Report said that no one could play the “Boogie Woogie Waltz” like Errico.

The YouTube piece below may help you understand Zawinul’s high praise.

Family Stone Greg Errico

Betty Davis

He left Sly and the Family Stone in 1971, but continued to play. One place was on Betty Davis’s “Betty Davis” album in 1973. Davis was a precise person to work with. Errico, both drummer and producer on the album recalled that she came up with most of the bass lines and sang them to Larry Graham.

Family Stone Greg Errico

And more…

Errico has also played with, produced, or composed for:

More Family

In 2006, a new version of the Family Stone, which included original saxophonist Jerry Martini and the trumpet player the now late Cynthia Robinson. The band continues to tour.

Rolling Stone magazine lists Errico in its top 100 drummers.

Current information can be found at his Facebook page.