Herb sold his production company and is supposedly worth $800 million now.
He’s the ‘A’ in A&M Records.
A&M?
Funny story, since a couple of those involved have been mentioned.
Burt Bacharach was with A&M Records. He and his songwriting partner Hal David had written a song in 1963, given it to Dionne Warwick (formula for success), and it went nowhere. They tried several other singers. Nothing. They even tried having Richard Chamberlain do it on his talk-sing album. Nothing.
Burt knew it was a good song, and he was complaining about it to Herb Alpert one day. Herb replied, “I hve these kids I just signed. They just won the Battle of the Bands at the Hollywood Bowl. I think they’d do great with your song.”
Burt agreed to let them take a shot at it, and it worked.
The song in question:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8PaYxWdKK0
Ask any record collector who searches through dusty boxes of LPs at yard sales, flea markets, and junk stores. He will tell you that EVERY box you see will contain at least one Herb Alpert album, most likely Whipped Cream & Other Delights. That’s why Alpert is so rich.
My get-high skool band played an arrangement of Tijuana Taxi. It was always great fun to play!