# Bruce Iglauer

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{{Short description|American businessman and record producer (born 1947)}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Bruce Iglauer
| image         = Bruce Iglauer 31 Rawa Blues 2011 047.jpg
| alt           = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption       = 
| birth_name    = <!-- only use if different from name -->
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1947|07|10}}
| birth_place   = [Ann Arbor, Michigan](/source/Ann_Arbor%2C_Michigan), U.S.
| death_date    = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) -->
| death_place   = 
| other_names   = 
| occupation    = Record producer
| years_active  = 
| known_for     = Founder and CEO of [Alligator Records](/source/Alligator_Records)
| notable_works = 
}}

'''Bruce Iglauer''' (born July 10, 1947) is an American businessman and record producer who founded [Alligator Records](/source/Alligator_Records) as an [independent record label](/source/independent_record_label) featuring [blues](/source/blues) music.

== Early life and career ==
Iglauer was born in [Ann Arbor, Michigan](/source/Ann_Arbor%2C_Michigan),<ref name=":0" /> United States, and grew up in [Grand Rapids, Michigan](/source/Grand_Rapids%2C_Michigan), and [Wyoming, Ohio](/source/Wyoming%2C_Ohio). He became interested in the blues during the mid-1960s while attending [Lawrence University](/source/Lawrence_University) in [Appleton, Wisconsin](/source/Appleton%2C_Wisconsin). He began hosting a college radio show, then moved on to promoting concerts at Lawrence by [Howlin' Wolf](/source/Howlin'_Wolf) and [Luther Allison](/source/Luther_Allison). He came to Chicago in 1966 as a “blues pilgrim” who wanted to check out the University of Chicago Folk Festival.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Moore|first=Evan F.|date=June 15, 2021|title=Chicago's Alligator Records celebrates 50th anniversary in 'home of the blues'|work=Chicago Sun-Times|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/6/15/22534013/blues-alligator-records-50th-anniversary-chicago-bruce-iglauer-lil-ed-toronzo-cannon-koko-taylor}}</ref> He came to [Bob Koester](/source/Bob_Koester)'s attention and joined the [Delmark Records](/source/Delmark_Records) staff in Chicago as a shipping clerk in 1970. He was a co-founder of ''[Living Blues](/source/Living_Blues)'' magazine in 1970. When Delmark declined Iglauer's advice to sign [Hound Dog Taylor & The House Rockers](/source/Hound_Dog_Taylor), he recorded the group himself and, in so doing, created [Alligator Records](/source/Alligator_Records) in 1971.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Knopper|first=Steve|date=September 17, 2021|title=For 50th anniversary of Chicago's Alligator Records, home of Lonnie Brooks, Koko Taylor and many others, a concert and a lot of memories|work=Chicago Tribune|department=Entertainment|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ent-alligator-records-50th-anniversary-chicago-20210917-4x57nd27kbb2dhblddsvai2byu-story.html}}</ref>

Nine months after the release of the first Alligator Records album, he left Delmark and continued at Alligator, making acclaimed recordings from [Big Walter Horton](/source/Big_Walter_Horton), [Son Seals](/source/Son_Seals), [Fenton Robinson](/source/Fenton_Robinson), [Koko Taylor](/source/Koko_Taylor), [Albert Collins](/source/Albert_Collins), [Lonnie Brooks](/source/Lonnie_Brooks), and many others. A breakthrough came in 1975 with [Koko Taylor](/source/Koko_Taylor)'s "I Got What It Takes", which earned Alligator its first [Grammy Award](/source/Grammy_Award) nomination. In 1978, he signed Albert Collins; in 1982, [Clifton Chenier](/source/Clifton_Chenier)'s "I'm Here!" won a Grammy.<ref>[http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=chenier&field_nominee_work_value=&year=1983&genre=All Grammy Winner: 1982 Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording] ''Grammy.com''. Retrieved 5 September 2014</ref> Recordings on Alligator by [Hound Dog Taylor](/source/Hound_Dog_Taylor), Fenton Robinson, Albert Collins, [Johnny Winter](/source/Johnny_Winter), [Roy Buchanan](/source/Roy_Buchanan), [Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown](/source/Clarence_%22Gatemouth%22_Brown), [James Cotton](/source/James_Cotton), [Charlie Musselwhite](/source/Charlie_Musselwhite), [Luther Allison](/source/Luther_Allison), [Shemekia Copeland](/source/Shemekia_Copeland), [Roomful of Blues](/source/Roomful_of_Blues), [Marcia Ball](/source/Marcia_Ball), [Buckwheat Zydeco](/source/Buckwheat_Zydeco), and others have been Grammy-nominated. ''[Showdown!](/source/Showdown!)'' by [Albert Collins](/source/Albert_Collins), [Robert Cray](/source/Robert_Cray), and [Johnny Copeland](/source/Johnny_Copeland) won a [Grammy for Best Blues Recording](/source/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Traditional_Blues_Album) of [1987](/source/29th_Annual_Grammy_Awards),<ref>[http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=&field_nominee_work_value=showdown&year=All&genre=All Grammy Winner: 1985 Best Traditional Blues Recording] ''Grammy.com''. Retrieved 5 September 2014</ref> and [Buckwheat Zydeco](/source/Buckwheat_Zydeco)'s ''[Lay Your Burden Down](/source/Lay_Your_Burden_Down)'' won a [Grammy for Best Blues. Cajun or Zydeco Recording](/source/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Zydeco_or_Cajun_Music_Album) of 2009.<ref>[http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=buckwheat+zydeco&field_nominee_work_value=&year=2009&genre=All Grammy Winner: 2009 Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album] ''Grammy.com''. Retrieved 5 September 2014</ref>

Iglauer has produced or co-produced over 125 albums in the Alligator Records catalog, including albums by Hound Dog Taylor, Son Seals, Koko Taylor, Fenton Robinson, Albert Collins, Johnny Winter, Roy Buchanan, [Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials](/source/Lil'_Ed_Williams), James Cotton, [Kenny Neal](/source/Kenny_Neal), [Saffire--The Uppity Blues Women](/source/Saffire_%E2%80%93_The_Uppity_Blues_Women), [Jarekus Singleton](/source/Jarekus_Singleton), [Carey Bell](/source/Carey_Bell) and [Billy Boy Arnold](/source/Billy_Boy_Arnold).<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bruce-iglauer-mn0000940075/credits Bruce Iglauer Production Credits] ''AllMusic''. Retrieved 5 September 2014</ref>

The Alligator catalog contains over 300 albums, ranging from electric [Chicago blues](/source/Chicago_blues) and blues rock to acoustic [Piedmont blues](/source/Piedmont_blues) and West Coast [jump blues](/source/jump_blues). By the 1990s, Alligator was established as one of the largest contemporary blues labels in the world.<ref>[http://www.alligator.com/about-us/discography.cfm Alligator Records Discography] ''alligator.com''. Retrieved 5 September 2014</ref> According to ''[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies](/source/Christgau's_Record_Guide%3A_Rock_Albums_of_the_Seventies)'' (1981), Chicago blues saw its best documentation during the 1970s thanks partly to Iglauer and Alligator Records.<ref name="CG">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|authorlink=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies](/source/Christgau's_Record_Guide%3A_Rock_Albums_of_the_Seventies)|publisher=[Ticknor & Fields](/source/Ticknor_%26_Fields)|isbn=0899190251|chapter=The Decade|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-cg70/decade.php|via=robertchristgau.com|accessdate=April 6, 2019}}</ref>

''[Chicago](/source/Chicago_(magazine))'' magazine honored Iglauer with the 2001 Chicagoan of the Year award.<ref>[https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Chicagoans-of-the-Year/Past-Honorees/ "Chicagoans of the Year: Past Honorees"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029041919/https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Chicagoans-of-the-Year/Past-Honorees/ |date=2012-10-29 }} ''Chicago Magazine''. Retrieved 5 September 2014</ref> In addition, Iglauer was a founder of the [National Association of Independent Record Distributors](/source/National_Association_of_Independent_Record_Distributors) (NAIRD, later the Association For Independent Music (AFIM)). He has served on the boards of the [Blues Foundation](/source/Blues_Foundation), the Blues Community Foundation (of which he is a founder), and the [American Association of Independent Music](/source/American_Association_of_Independent_Music) (A2IM), which replaced AFIM as the main organization of the U.S. independent music industry. In 2014, A2IM presented Iglauer with its Lifetime Achievement Award.<ref>[http://a2im.org/2014/06/24/a2ims-2014-libbys-bruce-iglauers-lifetime-achievement-award-speech Bruce Iglauer's 2014 A2IM Lifetime Achievement Award Speech] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909164520/http://a2im.org/2014/06/24/a2ims-2014-libbys-bruce-iglauers-lifetime-achievement-award-speech |date=September 9, 2014 }} ''a2im.org''. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014</ref> Iglauer has also been presented with two "Keeping The Blues Alive" awards from the [Blues Foundation](/source/Blues_Foundation), one as an artist manager and one for his producing. He was inducted into the [Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame](/source/Blues_Foundation's_Hall_of_Fame) in 1997.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923192533/http://www.blues.org/awards-search/hall-of-fame-inductees/hall-of-fame-inductees-winners/?y=8 Blues Hall of Fame Induction] ''blues.org''. Retrieved 5 September 2014</ref>

In 2018, Iglauer wrote a book, ''Bitten by the Blues: The Alligator Records Story,'' published by the [University of Chicago Press](/source/University_of_Chicago_Press).<ref name=":0" /> In November 2022, Iglauer was honored by the [Recording Industry Association of America](/source/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America) at their Washington, D.C. headquarters with a concert by [Shemekia Copeland](/source/Shemekia_Copeland) for his work with Alligator Records and Chicago's Blues scene.<ref name="Sun Times Sweet">{{cite news |last1=Sweet |first1=Lynn |authorlink=Lynn Sweet |title=Alligator Records founder Iglauer honored in D.C. for 50th anniversary of Chicago blues label |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/11/22/23465223/alligator-records-bruce-iglauer-50th-anniversary-of-chicago-blues-label | date= November 22, 2022|access-date=November 30, 2022 |work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Iglauer is married to Jo Kolanda of [Mequon, Wisconsin](/source/Mequon%2C_Wisconsin). They have a daughter and two grandchildren, Rachel Beaudry, Hailey Montalbano, and Gabrielle Montalbano, of Glencoe, Illinois, and he has a stepdaughter, Rebekah Beaudry of Mequon, Wisconsin.

==Books==
* Bruce Iglauer, Patrick A. Roberts ''Bitten by the Blues: The Alligator Records Story'' University of Chicago Press, 2018

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.alligator.com/about-us/ The Alligator story] - History of the label at the Alligator site

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iglauer, Bruce}}
Category:1947 births
Category:Living people
Category:Businesspeople from Ann Arbor, Michigan
Category:American music industry executives
Category:Businesspeople from Grand Rapids, Michigan
Category:People from Wyoming, Ohio
Category:People from Mequon, Wisconsin

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bruce Iglauer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Iglauer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Iglauer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.