Down to Business: Herman Lubinsky and the Postwar Music Industry

Abstract

This article assesses the claims of exploitation leveled against mid-twentieth-century Jewish record company owners, focusing on Herman Lubinsky and his Savoy Records. Lubinsky faced a highly competitive economic climate as the commercial popularity of jazz waned in the 1950s. By attending solely to the few record company owners who became successful, and treating favorably those with noticeable appreciation for the music or the musicians, historians have mischaracterized owners, like Lubinsky, who prioritized risk management in their business ventures.