Calvin Carter

For the politician, see Calvin Holmes Carter.

Calvin Carter (born May 27, 1925) is an American songwriter of jazz and pop songs, and record producer.

Calvin Carter joined Vee-Jay Records, founded by his sister Vivian Carter and her husband James Bracken, in 1953 and became its principal A&R man and producer, in charge of recording sessions. According to Allmusic, he was responsible for giving "direction and vision" to the company, which mainly recorded R&B acts such as Elmore James, John Lee Hooker, and Jimmy Reed. Vee Jay Records was the first American company to sign The Beatles. Calvin Carter also worked at Liberty Records and work with Canned Heat. He also recorded jazz greats like Eddie Harris and Gene Ammons

His best-known song, "I Ain't Got You", was recorded by both Jimmy Reed and Billy Boy Arnold in 1955 and later covered by The Yardbirds in 1964 (as the B-side to their "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" single), by Aerosmith in 1973 (on their Live! Bootleg album), by Blue Öyster Cult in 1975 on their On Your Feet or on Your Knees album, and by The Blues Brothers in 1980 (on their Made in America album).

Burt Bacharach has stated that it was Calvin Carter who really gave him his first big break when Carter, who was head of A&R at Vee Jay Records called him to say that Jerry Butler wanted to do his song 'Make It Easy On Yourself'. Carter asked him to fly out to New York and to basically take charge of the recording session. Bacharach said that was the first time anyone had allowed him to be in control. He said "I just went from there"