Snuffy: The Productions of Tommy Garrett 1959-1962 - Snuffy: The Productions Of Tommy Garrett 1959-1962 / Various

From 'office boy' at a North Texas radio station to one of the top record producers in post-rock 'n' roll era America in under four years is a formidable achievement by anyone's standards - and particularly so for a man barely out of his teens. Tommy Garrett, or 'Snuff' to give him the credit by which he was best known - was that man, a true musical visionary who created a sound that made his productions immediately identifiable and who both created new pop superstars and gave new impetus to the careers of r'n'r-era names who had faded commercially. Snuff could neither read nor write music but he knew instinctively what made a hit, and this new Jasmine collection barely scratches the surface where his discography as a producer is concerned. Indeed, he made enough money from these tracks and others he produced between 1959 and 1965 to retire before he was 30 (although he didn't stay retired for long the first time around). All of Snuff's most successful artists can be heard herein, with Bobby Vee, the Crickets, Gene McDaniels, Buddy Knox and Johnny Burnette leading the charge where US and UK hitmaking is concerned. Also included are the likes of Jackie DeShannon and Jan & Dean, whose careers briefly intersected with Snuff's, Vikki Carr whose first recordings were overseen by Snuff and many engaging one-offs, some of them by 'acts' created in the studio by Snuff and his team of musicians and arrangers, many of whom were affiliated with Los Angeles' legendary 'Wrecking Crew' including Ernie Freeman and Leon Russell. Snuff's concoctions shone like a beacon in that musical 'twilight era' between the commercial demise of rock 'n' roll and the arrival of 'the British Invasion' and their professionalism has stood the test of time well. Here are more than two dozen highlights from a vast catalogue to hopefully whet your appetite for another 'dip' of Snuff on Jasmine in the future.