Jerry Moss and musician Herb Alpert formed two influential partnerships that left a significant mark on both the music and horse racing industries.
In 1962, Alpert and Moss established A&M Records in Los Angeles. This venture recorded some of the era’s most prominent artists, leading the label to become the music industry’s foremost independent label over the ensuing 25 years. Their exceptional achievements culminated in their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
During the late 1970s, Alpert and Moss collaborated on claiming horses, introducing Moss to Thoroughbred racing. This foray into horse racing led to triumphs such as victories in the Kentucky Derby with Giacomo and the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Zenyatta. Zenyatta’s sole loss in her 20-race career occurred in her final race. This accomplishment earned Moss a place in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where he, alongside his then-wife Ann Holbrook Moss, attended Zenyatta’s induction in 2016.
At the age of 88, Moss peacefully passed away in his Bel Air, Calif., residence. His family shared an online obituary revealing that he was surrounded by loved ones who held him dear.
Born on May 8, 1935, during the Great Depression in New York City, Jerome Sheldon Moss grew up in the Bronx. He earned an English degree from Brooklyn College and served in the U.S. Army before embarking on a career in the music industry during the late 1950s as a promoter for Coed Records in New York. After relocating to California in 1960, he met Alpert, a trumpet player whose Tijuana Brass band would later achieve significant success. The duo invested $100 each to initiate A&M Records in a garage.
The label flourished, boasting successful albums like “Tapestry” by Carol King and “Frampton Comes Alive” by Peter Frampton, in addition to hit singles spanning from the Captain and Tennille to the Police. A&M Records also discovered and signed artists like Joe Cocker, The Carpenters, Janet Jackson, Soundgarden, and Styx.
Moss notably named Giacomo after Sting’s son, the lead singer of the Police, while Zenyatta took its name from the Police’s third studio album, “Zenyatta Mondatta.”
Alpert and Moss sold A&M Records to Polygram for an estimated $500 million in 1989.
