Columbia Records

==== Bob Dylan ====
In September 1961, CBS A&R manager [[John Hammond (producer)|John Hammond]] was producing the first Columbia album by folk singer [[Carolyn Hester]], who invited a friend to accompany her on one of the recording sessions. It was here that Hammond first met [[Bob Dylan]], whom he signed to the label, initially as a harmonica player.<ref name="bsn17">{{cite web | last1 = Watts | first1 = Randy | last2 = Callahan|first2=Mike|last3=Edwards|first3=David|last4=Eyries|first4=Patrice|title=Columbia Album Discography, Part 17 (CL 2100-2199/CS 8900–8999) 1963–1964|url=http://bsnpubs.com/columbia/columbia12/columbia2100.html |date=November 2, 2015 | website=Both Sides Now Publications |access-date=June 29, 2017}}</ref> Dylan's self-titled debut album was released in March 1962 and sold only moderately.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/20-things-you-might-not-know-about-bob-dylans-debut-album-764154|title=20 Things You Might Not Know About Bob Dylan's Debut Album – NME|date=March 19, 2013|work=NME|access-date=December 26, 2017}}</ref> Some executives in Columbia dubbed Dylan "Hammond's folly" and suggest that Dylan be dropped from the label.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/50-years-ago-today-bob-dylan-released-his-debut-album-20120319|title=50 Years Ago Today: Bob Dylan Released His Debut Album|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=December 26, 2017}}</ref> But John Hammond and Johnny Cash defended Dylan, who over the next four years became one of Columbia's highest earning acts.

Over the course of the 1960s, Dylan achieved a prominent position in Columbia. His early folk songs were recorded by many acts and became hits for [[Peter, Paul & Mary]] and [[The Turtles]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/celebritynews/6201418/Peter-Paul-and-Mary-Top-songs-of-all-time.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/celebritynews/6201418/Peter-Paul-and-Mary-Top-songs-of-all-time.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Peter, Paul and Mary: Top songs of all time|last=Willis|first=Amy|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=September 17, 2009|access-date=December 26, 2017|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Some of these cover versions became the foundation of the [[folk rock]] genre. The Byrds achieved their pop breakthrough with a version of Dylan's "[[Mr. Tambourine Man]]". In 1965, Dylan's controversial decision to [[Electric Dylan controversy|'go electric']] and work with rock musicians divided his audience but catapulted him to greater commercial success with his 1965 hit single "[[Like a Rolling Stone]]". Following his withdrawal from touring in 1966, Dylan recorded a large group of songs with his backing group [[The Band]] which reached other artists as 'demo recordings'. These resulted in hits by [[Manfred Mann]] ("[[Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)|The Mighty Quinn]]") and [[Brian Auger]], [[Julie Driscoll]] & Trinity ("[[This Wheel's On Fire]]"). Dylan's late 1960s albums ''[[John Wesley Harding]]'' and ''[[Nashville Skyline]]'' became cornerstone recordings of the emergent [[country rock]] genre and influenced The Byrds and [[The Flying Burrito Brothers]].