Frank Fenter Honored By The Georgia Music Hall Of Fame

1936 – 1983

Frank Fenter co-founder of Macon’s Capricorn Records
to be inducted into the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame
October 11th, 2014

Frank Fenter was born in South Africa, in 1936. He majored in drama at college in South Africa and planned to pursue an acting career. In 1958 Frank immigrated to London to further his dream.

Music was always a big part of Frank’s life and in London he became involved in the music business, he first booked groups into the music and club scene, then joined Chapell Music Publishing and later Frank headed ARC/Chess Music.

In 1966, Mr. Fenter became Head of Atlantic Records in the United Kingdom and within six months, was at Atlantics’ helm for all of Europe. Under his leadership, Frank Fenter helped sign and launch the careers of YES, Led Zeppelin, and King Crimson, making Atlantic the most important US label in promoting British Rock N Roll music to the world.

In 1967, Frank Fenter brought Atlantics’ R & B artists, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Eddie Floyd and Carla Thomas to Europe in the renowned “Hit the Road Stax” tour of 1967, which was important in crossing over Otis Redding to a white mainstream audience; it was further helped when Fenter suggested to Atlantic Record’s producer, Tom Dowd, to record the live European tour with the majority of the recordings released to critical and commercial success.

In 1969, Frank Fenter went on to become a co-founder and partner in Capricorn Records, the new label introduced “Southern Rock” and launched the careers of The Allman Brothers Band, Wet Willie, The Marshall Tucker Band and Elvin Bishop among others, into commercial prominence and making Capricorn Records one of the most successful independent record companies in America.