Irving Green

Who was Irving Green?

Irving B. Green was an American record industry executive, and founder and president of Mercury Records.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was instrumental in promoting African-American artists such as Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and the Platters.

In 1945, he founded Mercury Records, in Chicago, Illinois, along with Berle Adams and Arthur Talmadge, and helped turn the independent outfit into a major label.

In 1962, Green sold Mercury to Consolidated Electronics Industries Corporation a U.S. Affiliate of Dutch electronics giant Philips of the Netherlands but he remained Mercury Records' President. Green continued to run Mercury for five years after selling the company.

In 1964, Mercury Records became the first major record label to have a black high-level executive, when Green hired the trumpeter Quincy Jones as vice president.

After leaving Mercury, he became a successful real estate developer in Palm Springs who was active until shortly before his death. He is buried in Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.