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Ron Tudor

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Ron Tudor

Ronald Stewart Tudor MBE (18 May 1924 – 21 August 2020) was an Australian music producer, engineer, label owner and record industry executive. He started his career with W&G Records in 1956 as a sales representative; he became their in-house producer and A&R agent before leaving in 1966.

Tudor briefly joined Astor Records as their promotions manager until 1968 when he created his own production company, June Productions. He followed with his own record label, Fable Records, late in 1969 and continued as its CEO until he sold the company in July 1984. In June 1979 Tudor was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, "For service to the recording industry".

At the APRA Music Awards of 1996 he received the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1999 he received a Special Achievement Award, which was shared with Bill Armstrong of Armstrong Studios.

Ronald Stewart Tudor was born on 18 May 1924 in Toora, Victoria, a rural town in a dairy farming district. He was one of ten children. During World War II he enlisted in the Australian Army in February 1943 and was discharged in May 1946 with the rank of gunner.

Tudor became a sales representative for W&G Records in 1956. As the label's A&R and in-house producer he signed and recorded early material for Ernie Sigley, "Love Is a Golden Ring" (1957); Diana Trask, "Going Steady" (1958); and the Seekers, Introducing the Seekers (1963). He recorded an instrumental track, "Wild Weekend" (February 1961), by rock-and-rollers the Thunderbirds after they had been recommended by a local radio DJ, Stan Rofe.

Tudor later recalled, "We had a very good relationship with [Rofe] at 3KZ. He was a wonderful supporter of us and he always said, 'It's about time someone got into local talent'." Australian musicologist Ian McFarlane said that it was "one of the most successful Australian instrumental singles of all-time" alongside the Atlantics' "Bombora". Tudor produced further work by the Thunderbirds and used them to back other artists on their recordings.

Another recommendation from Rofe was Johnny Chester, who had already worked with the Thunderbirds. They provided backing on Chester's debut single, "Hokey Pokey" (May 1961). Tudor continued with W&G until 1966 when he joined rival label Astor Records as a promotions manager. For recordings he used Armstrong Studios founded by Bill Armstrong (manager at W&G Records) in 1965. He continued with that label until 1968 when he started his own company, June Productions.

Tudor had established an independent record label, Fable Records, in late 1969 with an official launch the following April. During 1969 Tudor had appeared on a TV talent quest, New Faces, as a judge. He signed both the finals winner, John Williamson, and second place getter, Liv Maessen, to Fable. Maessen's second single was a cover version of Mary Hopkin's "Knock, Knock Who's There?" (April 1970), which peaked at No. 2 on the Go-Set National Top 60 Singles Chart in August. Williamson's debut single, "Old Man Emu" (May 1970), peaked at No. 3 in September.

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