the history of albert music

The business began in 1885 as a clock, watch and occasional violin repair shop by Jacques Albert. This was soon expanded by Jacques son Frank who began importing and selling a wider range of musical instruments such as the Boomerang mouth organ, as well as publishing the iconic Boomerang Songsters and sheet music of popular contemporary international tunes.

By 1902 J. Albert & Son had become a thriving music store and publishing business in King Street in central Sydney. Jacques and Frank since the turn of the century began making deals with American and British music publishers, they purchased the lucrative copyright to Tin Pan Alley songwriters such as Irving Berlin and George Gershwin.

In addition to co-founding the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) in 1926, Frank Albert in 1929 became a founding member and director of the Australian Broadcasting Company, which ran the Commonwealth Government's eight national radio stations. When the government took over the licence three years later to form the Australian Broadcasting Commission, Alberts bought radio station 2UW in Sydney.

Frank's son Alexis, who became the MD of J.Albert & Son in 1931, took control of this side of the business and over the next 50 years built it into a network of eight stations including 4BC in Brisbane, 3DB in Melbourne and 2CC in Canberra. The company was also involved in television, as a major shareholder in Channel Seven and Alexis remained on the board for many years.

When Alexis’ son Ted joined the business in the late 1950s he saw the potential for exporting a uniquely Australian sound. In 1964 Ted Albert began Albert Productions which was created as a record label exclusively for Australian content. The first group recorded was Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs. The Easybeats followed soon after and by 1966 Alberts had produced seven No.1 hit singles, including Sick and Tired (1964), She's So Fine (1965) and Friday on My Mind (1966). In the late '90s Ted Mulry Gang's Jump in My Car was the highest selling Australian single; while AC/DC’s album Back in Black has sold more than 22 million albums in the US (approximately 44 million worldwide). In Australia AC/DC has sold more than 8 million albums and is the fifth largest selling band in US history.

In 1989 Ted Albert commissioned Baz Luhrmann to script and direct Strictly Ballroom. Sadly and unexpectedly Ted died in 1990. Fortunately his vision was carried on and Strictly Ballroom was the No.1 box office hit in Australia in 1992. It racked up eight AFI Awards as well as the coveted Prix de la Jeunesse at the Cannes film festival. The film also spawned the first Alberts movie soundtrack, the central track being the remake of the John Paul Young hit, Love Is In the Air, written by Vanda and Young. The single continues to enjoy considerable international success.

Alberts also supports Australian innovation and has, in partnership with Stuart & Sons, been working to redefine the piano with Tasmanian Wayne Stuart a master piano maker. The aim is to offer pianists a broader palette of expression through the greater clarity and tonal richness of the Stuart & Sons’ piano.

Alberts has a longstanding involvement in music-related community partnerships takes three main forms: in the community through the McDonald’s Performing Arts Challenge; working with disadvantaged youth through Mission Australia; and research and treatment through Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia . All are based on the simple and unarguable proposition that music is always an enhancement to life.