Sam Montel

A producer, record company owner and concert promoter from 1958 through the early 1970s, Montalbano, (born February 8th 1937 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, died February 10th 2021 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana), also operated a recording studio and music publishing, management and booking companies. In 1958, Montalbano launched Montel Records with the help of Mickey Montalbano, his older brother by a decade. He named three of his labels after his daughters Michelle (Michelle, Montel Michelle), Stephanie (Stephanie Records Of Baton Rouge) and Debbie (Debbie Records (4)). In addition to the two Dale & Grace hits, he produced regional favorites by Baton Rouge band John Fred and the Playboys (“Shirley”), New Orleans’ James “Sugar Boy” Crawford (“Danny Boy”) and recordings by Van Broussard, Luther Kent, the Boogie Kings, Lee Tillman, the Greek Fountains and future soul star Joe Tex.