From his humble beginnings as an in-hose songwriter getting paid fifty dollars a week, Bern Berns elevated himself to one of the most prolific songwriters and producers you never heard of.
In 1960, Bert Berns took a job with a music publishing company. In 1961, the Jarmels recorded “A Little Bit of Soap,” one of Bert’s compositions, and it became a hit. From that point, there was no looking back. Bert wrote or co-wrote hit after hit after hit, including “Twist and Shout” for the Isley Brothers (and later The Beatles), “Tell Him” by The Exciters, “Cry to Me” by Solomon Burke and “Cry Baby” first recorded by Garnett Mimms but later served as a big hit for Janis Joplin.
In 1962, Bert replaced the great Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller as staff producer at Atlantic Records. Here, Bert worked the board and his magic for the likes of his pal Solomon Burke as well as the Drifters, Barbara Lewis, Little Esther Phillips, Ben E. King, Wilson Pickett and LaVern Baker.
With the burgeoning British Invasion taking over the music charts and a number of Bert’s songs being recorded by British bands, Bert became the first American producer to travel to England. He produced songs for Decca recording stars like Van Morrison’s Them and Lulu.
My the mid-60s, Bert started his own record label — BANG Records — where he signed The McCoys, The Strangeloves, Van Morrison and an up-and-coming singer-songwriter named Neil Diamond. A year later, Bert formed Shout Records to showcase his love of rhythm and blues. He wrote “Piece of My Heart” for singer Erma Franklin, but, a short time after, psychedelic band Big Brother and the Holding Company recorded the song with singer Janis Joplin taking the vocals.
With a history of heart trouble from an early age when he contracted rheumatic fever, Bert passed away in his New York apartment in the last week of December 1967. He accomplished a lifetime of success by the age of 38.
Led Zeppelin recorded the unreleased tune “Baby Come On Home,” in 1968. Originally entitled “A Tribute to Bert Berns,” the song finally saw the light of day in a rarities box set released in 1993. The song was credited to Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and Bert Berns.