Also in 1962, the Isley Brothers recorded " Twist and Shout" on Wand Records, written by Berns and Phil Medley. That song would later be recorded by the Isley Brothers, and featured as the B-side of their 1962 single "Twistin' With Linda". Berns himself had a short-lived career as a recording artist, and in 1961, under the name "Russell Byrd", Berns scored his only Billboard Hot 100 appearance with his own composition, "You'd Better Come Home", which peaked at Number 50. His first hit record was " A Little Bit of Soap", performed by the Jarmels on Laurie Records in 1961. He signed as a $50/week (equivalent to $500 in 2022) songwriter with Robert Mellin Music at 1650 Broadway in 1960.
Shortly after his return from Cuba, Berns began a seven-year run from an obscure Brill Building songwriter to owner of his own record labels. As a young man, Berns danced in mambo nightclubs, and made his way to Havana before the Cuban Revolution. Turning to music, he found enjoyment in the sounds of his African American and Latino neighbors.
His songwriting credits include " Twist and Shout", " Piece of My Heart", " Here Comes the Night", " Hang on Sloopy", " Cry to Me" and " Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", and his productions include " Baby, Please Don't Go", " Brown Eyed Girl" and " Under the Boardwalk".īorn in the Bronx, New York City, to Russian Jewish immigrants, Berns contracted rheumatic fever as a child, an illness that damaged his heart and would mark the rest of his life, resulting in his early death. Bertrand Russell Berns (Novem– December 30, 1967), also known as Bert Russell and (occasionally) Russell Byrd, was an American songwriter and record producer of the 1960s.
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