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Michael Curb | |
|---|---|
.JPG) Curb in 1972 | |
| 42ndLieutenant Governor of California | |
| In office January 8, 1979 – January 3, 1983 | |
| Governor | Jerry Brown |
| Preceded by | Mervyn Dymally |
| Succeeded by | Leo T. McCarthy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Curb (1944-12-24)December 24, 1944 (age 80) Savannah, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | California State University, Northridge |
Michael Curb (born December 24, 1944)[1] is an American politician, record executive, and philanthropist who served as the 42ndlieutenant governor of California from 1979 to 1983. He is the founder ofCurb Records and is the chairman ofWord Entertainment.[2] He was inducted into theWest Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2006.[3] A member of theRepublican Party, Curb is the most recent Republican to have been elected lieutenant governor of California as of 2025.
Curb was born inSavannah, Georgia, to Charles McCloud Curb and Stella "Stout" Curb.[1] He grew up in Southern California'sSan Fernando Valley. He has one sister. After attendingGrant High School, he attended San Fernando Valley State College (nowCalifornia State University, Northridge).[4][5] His maternal grandmother was ofMexican heritage.[6]
In 1963 and at the age of 18, Curb formedSidewalk Records and helped start the careers of multipleWest Coastrock and roll artists.[7] In 1969, his company merged withMGM Records. He became president of both MGM Records andVerve Records,[8] which then formed Curb Records.
Curb scored the music for the short filmSkaterdater (1965)[9][10] as well asThe Wild Angels (1966),[11]Thunder Alley[12] (1967),Devil's Angels[13] (1967),The Born Losers (1967) (the first of theBilly Jack films),[14]Maryjane[15] (1968),The Wild Racers[16] (1968),The Savage Seven[17] (1968),The Big Bounce[18] (1969),The Sidehackers[19] (1969) andBlack Water Gold[20] (1970). Curb has composed or supervised more than 50 film scores and written over 400 songs.[21]
In 1969, he co-wrote a new theme for the TV seriesAmerican Bandstand; the theme was used until 1974.[22][23][24]
Curb had a Top 40 pop song in early 1971. Its title was the same as that of his album,Burning Bridges,[25] which was written and composed byLalo Schifrin and Mike Curb. The song was used as the theme ofBrian G. Hutton's filmKelly's Heroes, which starredClint Eastwood.[26] The song reached No. 1[clarification needed] in South Africa and New Zealand.[27]
Mike Curb's group, The Mike Curb Congregation, had the adult contemporary song "Sweet Gingerbread Man," which was from the filmThe Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart, on music charts in 1970. The group collaborated with theSherman Brothers on the composition "It's a Small World," which reached the Top TenBillboard AC in 1973.[28] Also in 1970, they performed "I Was Born In Love With You," the theme song ofWuthering Heights, as the title song forFrank Sinatra'sDirty Dingus Magee. The group was featured onSammy Davis Jr.'s No. 1Billboard Hot 100 hit of 1972, "The Candy Man" (theAubrey Woods version was featured in the filmWilly Wonka & the Chocolate Factory). They sang backup onJud Strunk's 1973 hit "Daisy a Day".[29] The group was featured regularly onGlen Campbell's CBS television show.[30]
In 1969, Curb signed Christian rock pioneerLarry Norman, DeGarmo & Key, 2nd Chapter of Acts, and Debby Boone - artists considered to be the earliest contemporary Christian music artists.[31] Curb wrote and produced music for theHanna-Barbera animated seriesCattanooga Cats. The theme for the cartoon seriesHot Wheels is credited to Mike Curb and the Curbstones.[32]
In the 1970s, Curb wrote and produced forRoy Orbison,Marie Osmond and theOsmond Family,Lou Rawls,Sammy Davis Jr. andSolomon Burke. He also signed artists such asthe Sylvers,Eric Burdon,War,Richie Havens, theFive Man Electrical Band,Gloria Gaynor,Johnny Bristol,Exile,The Four Seasons and the Dutch singerHeintje Simons andThe Mob (Chicago band) to his labels.
Curb ran a short-lived country music subsidiary label forMotown called Hitsville Records.[33] He co-wrote the lyrics for "It Was a Good Time". He receivedBMI awards for composing "Burning Bridges" forClint Eastwood'sKelly's Heroes, and for composing "All for the Love of Sunshine".[citation needed]
Curb served as chairman of the Inaugural Youth Concert for PresidentRichard Nixon's second term on January 20, 1973.[34] He enlisted many artists from MGM records as well as others to perform for the historic event.Solomon Burke,The Mob,Jimmy Osmond,Tommy Roe,Ray Stevens,The Sylvers,The Don Costa Orchestra, andLaurie Lea Schaefer were on the stage for the young audience. He served asemcee for the program.[35]
In 2021,Fisk Jubilee Singers won Grammy awards forCelebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album) underBest Roots Gospel Album category. The album was produced forCurb Records: Mike Curb and Paul Kwami won a Grammy Award.[36][37][38]
Curb Records marked its 60th anniversary in 2023, with Mike Curb still at the helm. Over the years,Curb Records has been home toWynonna Judd,Tim McGraw,LeAnn Rimes,Hal Ketchum,Hank Williams Jr.,the Judds,Lyle Lovett,Natalie Grant,Ray Stevens,Rodney Atkins,Jo Dee Messina,Sawyer Brown,Lee Brice,Dylan Scott,Hannah Ellis, Harper Grace andFor King & Country.[39]
in 1970,Billboard reported that Curb, as president of MGM Records, fired 18 acts for what Curb believed was their promotion of hard drugs in their songs.[40] Curb said, "Drug groups are the cancer of the industry. Their effect on young people who are their fans or followers is devastating. When they appear smashed out of their minds and describe musically a great experience they had on LSD, they are glorifying hard drugs. I credit hard drug record acts with hundreds and hundreds of new young drug users."[41]
Curb has always disputed that any acts were dropped from MGM only for drug-related reasons. Billboard reported that Curb was alarmed by the drug-related deaths ofJanis Joplin,Jimi Hendrix, andAlan Wilson ofCanned Heat.[40] Among the musicians incorrectly thought to be included in the purge wereThe Velvet Underground andFrank Zappa's groupThe Mothers of Invention. Zappa, however, spoke out against drug use throughout his career and, by early 1969, had fulfilled his MGM/Verve contract and moved to his ownBizarre Records label, distributed byWarner Bros.The Velvet Underground had already left the label by then to sign withAtlantic Records, who released their fourth studio albumLoaded.[42] Also, whenEric Burdon, who was an advocate of psychedelics, dared Curb to release him from his contract although he was his biggest selling artist, Curb acquiesced.[43][44] Burdon also launched a campaign—by distributing bumper stickers—called Curb the Clap.[45]
Curb claimed industry support, and the record company official he cited was Bill Gallagher, the president ofParamount Records.[46]Columbia Records presidentClive Davis said Curb was "grandstanding", and that his anti-drug stance had made him "a minor hero of theNixon administration."[47] In 1997, Curb stated the affair had happened at a time when "you were considered a freak if you spoke out against drugs."[44]
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Encouraged to enter politics in part by former Governor of California (and future President of the United States)Ronald Reagan, Curb was electedLieutenant Governor of California in1978, defeating the incumbentDemocrat,Mervyn M. Dymally. Democratic candidateJerry Brown wasre-elected governor in the same year. During much 1979–1980, when Brown was out of the statecampaigning to become the Democratic presidential candidate, Curb wasacting governor, vetoing legislation, issuingexecutive orders, and making appointments. According to the December 28, 1979, edition of theSan Francisco Chronicle, "...the California Supreme Court ruled yesterday that when the governor is out of state, the lieutenant governor is free to exercise all powers of the chief executive...".[48]
Curb worked with liberal DemocratHarvey Milk on the campaign against theBriggs Initiative, a 1978 ballot initiative that would have banned gays and lesbians from working in public schools. Curb persuaded Reagan to oppose the initiative, and it was defeated. Curb continues to support LGBT rights; in 2023, Curb achieved a major victory in his challenge to Tennessee GovernorBill Lee, where the court declared it unconstitutional to force private businesses to post discriminatory LGBT signs.[49][50]
In1982, Curb lost the Republican gubernatorial nomination to California Attorney GeneralGeorge Deukmejian. Deukmejian would go on to narrowly win the general election. In1986, Curb ran again for lieutenant governor as the Republican nominee against the incumbent Democrat,Leo T. McCarthy, losing a bitterly contested race, largely run on the issue of punishment for drug trafficking and violent crimes. A vocal opponent of drug use, Curb advocated extension of the death penalty to include drug pushers whose narcotics trafficking resulted in a death.[51] As of 2025, Curb is the last Republican to have been elected to Lieutenant Governor of California.[a].
In 1980, Curb was co-chairman ofRonald Reagan's successful presidential campaign. Curb was also chairman of theconvention program in Detroit and was later appointed by Reagan to be chairman of the national finance committee.[52]
Amotorsport enthusiast, Curb is a co-owner of theCurb Agajanian Performance Group, a team that has won ten national championships. His sponsorship and ownership have included three of NASCAR's most celebrated drivers. He ownedRichard Petty's famed No. 43 car in 1984 and 1985, during which Petty achieved his 199th and 200th career wins. Curb was also a sponsor forDale Earnhardt during his 1980Winston Cup championship winning season, and sponsoredDarrell Waltrip's No. 12 Toyota Tundra in theCraftsman Truck Series, driven byJoey Miller in 2006. Curb-Agajanian also ran cars for many years in theIndianapolis 500, including forDan Wheldon andAlexander Rossi, with whom he won the 2011 and 2016 Indianapolis 500s respectively.[52] Curb was the co-owner with Richard Childress of the No. 98 Chevrolet driven by Austin Dillon.[53]
Curb was the only car owner to win in all 10 NASCAR auto racing series in the United States – theNASCAR Cup Series, theXfinity Series (formerly the Nationwide series and Busch Series), theCraftsman Truck Series (formerly the Gander Outdoors Truck Series and Camping World Truck Series), the Grand-Am Rolex Daytona Prototype National Sports Car Series (now theIMSA SportsCar Championship merged with American Le Mans), the IMSA GT Series (formerly IMSA Camel GT), Continental Series (formerly IMSA GTS), the Late Model All American Series, the Modifieds and the K&N East and West Series.[53]
Curb is also a long-time sponsor ofThorSport Racing in the Truck Series, as part-owner of the team's No. 98 Ford driven byTy Majeski. He maintained a similar partnership withPhil Parsons Racing in the Cup Series, which also ran the No. 98. Parsons driversChristopher Bell and Rico Abreu won the 2013 and 2014 USAC National Midget tours.[54][55]
In 2006, Curb purchaseda house at 1034 Audubon Drive, Memphis, which was once owned by Elvis Presley.[56] Curb renovated the house and turned it over to the Mike Curb Institute atRhodes College.[56]
InNashville, Curb has become a civic leader and benefactor ofBelmont University, where his donation toward the construction of a new arena resulted in it being named theCurb Event Center. The university includes the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. Curb endowed the Curb Center and the Curb Creative Campus program atVanderbilt University and the Mike Curb Institute of Music atRhodes College inMemphis. In 2024, he made the largest ever donation to Belmont, contributing $58 million to expand the Curb College's presence on Music Row.[57]
In 2001, Curb was inducted into theJunior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame. Curb was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2003 and theNorth Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009.[58]
In August 2006,[59] Curb pledged $10 million toCalifornia State University, Northridge (CSUN) (in Los Angeles) to endow his alma mater's arts college and provide a lead gift for the university's regional performing arts center. Of the $10 million gift, $5 million supported CSUN's College of Arts, Media, and Communication, one of the university's largest colleges that offers degree and certificate programs for more than 4,400 students. Of the gift, $4 million went into a general endowment for the college, and $1 million endowed a faculty chair specializing in music industry studies. As a result, the college was named in his honor. Studies with in the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication include Media, Arts, Music, Business, Journalism, and Communication Studies.
On June 29, 2007, Curb was honored with the 2,341st star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.[60]
CSU Channel Islands dedicated the Mike Curb Studio in Napa Hall at theCamarillo, California campus on October 21, 2010. The studio is a post-production and film and video production facility.[61][62]
In 2014, Curb was inducted into theMusicians Hall of Fame and Museum inNashville, Tennessee[63] and in 2016, he was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.[64] He was awarded Ray Fox Memorial Award ofLiving Legends of Auto Racing in Daytona in 2017.[65] In 2018, Racers Reunion featured him in Men Who Changed Racing withHarry Miller andSam Nunis.[66] Curb was inducted toNorth Carolina Music Hall of Fame in the same year for his "contributions and support of the Hall of Fame".[67][68] In 2019, Curb received the National Centennial Leadership Award fromJunior Achievement.[69]
| Year | Album | US |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Come Together | 105 |
| Sweet Gingerbread Man | 185 | |
| 1971 | Burning Bridges and Other Motion Picture Themes | 117 |
| Put Your Hand in the Hand | 205 | |
| 1972 | Softly Whispering I Love You | 206 |
| Song for a Young Love | -- | |
| 1973 | It's a Small World | Unreleased (test pressings exist, MGM SE-4900[70]) |
| Year | Album | US Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | All for the Love of Sunshine(withHank Williams, Jr.) | 10 |
| 1972 | Great Balls of Fire |
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US AC | US [71][72] | CA | AU [73] | NZ [74] | SA [75] | ||
| 1970 | "Burning Bridges" | 16 | 34 | 40 | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| 1971 | "Sweet Gingerbread Man" | 16 | 115 | 95 | — | — | — |
| 1972 | "See You in September" | 15 | 108 | — | — | — | — |
| "Softly Whispering I Love You" | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | |
| 1973 | "It's a Small Small World" | 9 | 108 | — | — | — | — |
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US [76] | US AC | CAN Country | CAN | CAN AC | |||
| 1970 | "All for the Love of Sunshine"(withHank Williams Jr.) | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | All for the Love of Sunshine |
| "Rainin' in My Heart"(with Hank Williams Jr.) | 3 | 108 | — | 2 | — | — | ||
| 1971 | "Ain't That a Shame"(with Hank Williams Jr.) | 7 | — | — | 16 | — | — | Hank Williams, Jr.'s Greatest Hits Vol. II |
| 1972 | "Living Together, Growing Together"(withTony Bennett) | — | 111 | — | — | — | — | single only |
| "The Candy Man"(withSammy Davis Jr.)[77] | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | single only | |
| "The People Tree"(with Sammy Davis Jr.)[77] | — | 92 | 16 | — | — | — | single only | |
| 1973 | "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool"(withJimmy Osmond)[77] | — | 38 | — | — | — | — | single only (#1 in UK) |
| 1976 | "Sing My Love Song"(withAl Martino) | — | — | 24 | — | — | — | single only |
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| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governors of California 1979–1983 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
