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took over distribution from A&M in 1989, they began negotiations to purchase
Windham Hill from its two principal shareholders. Ackerman sold his half of the company to BMG in 1992 and Anne Robinson sold her half in 1996. BMG relocated the Windham Hill office to Los Angeles and began distributing
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that prioritized high fidelity and later digital audio recording and mastering to record the label's artists and albums. He also championed utilizing catalog "Samplers" which featured his personal favorite tracks on recently-released albums of the label's artists. These proved to be the most
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By 1982, the label had grown over 300% and was bringing in revenues in the millions. Ackerman and
Robinson expanded Windham Hill's presence from Palo Alto, opening offices in Seattle, Los Angeles, and later New York City. They hired a staff of talented friends who they respected in the music
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314:). He gave copies to radio stations, which attracted an audience as well as California record store owners, and his albums began to sell. He founded the label with his girlfriend Anne Robinson in 1976. Ackerman invited like-minded musicians to the label, including
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Anne
Robinson, a student of design, was the primary designer of the majority of the album's cover art. She produced covers that were minimal, with a centered photograph of nature surrounded by a large area, usually white, with the artist and album name in
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In 1975, William
Ackerman was a college dropout who played acoustic guitar on the Stanford University campus. Friends asked him to record his instrumental music for them on cassette. They chipped in so that he could make an album titled
293:, also a subsidiary of BMG, has issued some back-catalog releases under the Windham Hill Records imprint. Since the Sony merger in 2007, Windham Hill has released no new material but reissues albums and compilations as part of Sony's
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began reissuing titles from the
Windham Hill catalog. Other acoustic music record labels have also signed licensing deals with Legacy Recordings, including Adventure Music, Gnome Life Records, Grass-Tops Recording and Dancing Cat.
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Ackerman and co-founder
Robinson started selling the label's albums themselves, loading their Volvo station wagon with the label's catalog and selling to bookstores and health food stores across the California coast.
318:, his cousin and an acoustic guitarist who became one of Windham Hill's best sellers. Ackerman began recording friends and fellow Bay Area musicians, and Robinson would market and design the albums.
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in the early 1980s, continued working with
Windham Hill as a distribution partner until the label was closed in 2007. BMG negotiated a distribution arrangement with Dancing Cat and Winston moved to
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industry, including Jeff Heiman, Steve Backer, and Sam
Sutherland to run the other offices. Thanks in large part to the success of George Winston's albums
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For the first time in over 15 years, many of the early
Windham Hill artists who recorded under Ackerman performed together on August 27, 2006 at the
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successful-selling albums on the label and inspired a multitude of themed compilation albums for the record label. Partially inspired by his love of
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purchased A&M in 1989. When A&M was purchased, Ackerman and
Robinson began considering selling Windham Hill to a media conglomerate. When
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was the last major artist signed to the label pre-buyout and he was the last artist to leave Windham Hill in 2006, joining
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charts. Seven albums by Winston have been certified Gold and Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (
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682:: A children's entertainment company whose music was developed with and distributed by Windham Hill from 1984 to 1990.
668:: An imprint that reissued out-of-print albums. A total of 13 albums were released on the label between 1981 and 1988.
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that ran from 1985 to 2007, and featured tracks composed and performed by the label's then-current roster of artists.
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Windham Hill history, artists, discographies, awards, formats and prices, music charts, employees and bibliography.
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Includes reviews and samples of the Windham Hill Winter's Solstice and holiday music catalog.
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to partially finance and distribute all of Windham Hill's record, cassette and newly-created
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Windham Hill produced music that was difficult to define, with elements of classical,
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In 2008 Sony absorbed all of the BMG assets including Windham Hill. The next year,
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and Anne Robinson (née McGilvray) in 1976 and was popular in the 1980s and 1990s.
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through a series of buyouts from 1992 through 1996. It is now a subsidiary of
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in 1981, folded into the Windham Hill Jazz label with Magenta in 1987.
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joined the label, though they were not original Windham Hill artists.
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actively working as an artist under Windham Hill's parent company.
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The Original Windham Hill logo (1977–1996), designed by Jay Durgan.
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offered to Windham Hill a lucrative distribution arrangement with
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674:: A vocal label that released seven albums between 1985 and 1989.
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was an independent record label that specialized in instrumental
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Today a majority of Windham's releases are distributed through
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468:. BMG merged other music labels that they purchased (such as
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Includes reviews, samples, track listings, and liner notes.
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catalog. Ackerman booked music studios primarily in the
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in 1980, distributed by Windham Hill from 1986 to 1988.
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Mystery Science Theater 3000, "City Limits"|AV Club
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62:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
878:Jazz keyboardist and composer Henry Adam Curtis
434:Image in the style of Windham Hill album covers
592:The label was mentioned on the cult TV series
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1214:Espe, Erik; Harrington, Jim (July 10, 1996).
1120:. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 51–.
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354:. The roster included acoustic guitarists
342:stores gave Windham Hill its own section.
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122:Learn how and when to remove this message
1533:1976 establishments in the United States
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557:, Andrew Robert Nelson, Alex de Grassi,
451:Windham Hill's music was distributed by
1354:Reissues much of Windham Hill's catalog
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350:in 1983, but later listed the label as
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598:, as well as its spiritual successor
7:
1259:"Adventure Music Montreux Licensing"
965:Rock, R&B/soul group Kidd Afrika
60:adding citations to reliable sources
638:: A jazz-oriented label started by
510:until 2015, and then moved back to
261:Los Angeles, California (1996–2007)
887:Jazz woodwind player and composer
374:magazine. Albums of solo piano by
25:
1493:Record labels established in 1976
1112:Maria Armoudian (April 6, 1996).
908:New Age duo Schönherz & Scott
308:The Search for the Turtle's Navel
1334:Windham Hill Records Discography
1086:Bronstein, Scott (May 4, 1986).
145:
36:
1404:In Search of the Turtle's Navel
1346:A Winter's Solstice Discography
1216:"From High Street to Hollywood"
1114:"Look for these New Age labels"
1057:Windhaming Windham Hill History
312:In Search of the Turtle's Navel
47:needs additional citations for
872:Jazz keyboardist and composer
866:Jazz keyboardist and composer
809:Guitarist Andrew Robert Nelson
378:crossed over into the Pop and
274:. It was founded by guitarist
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658:: A new age label started by
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1194:Windham Hill Winter Solstice
1088:"Making Money Out of Mellow"
778:Turtle Island String Quartet
719:Celtic harpist and composer
595:Mystery Science Theater 3000
1528:Windham Hill Records albums
1488:New-age music record labels
1053:"Windham Hill Logo History"
281:The label was purchased by
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902:New Age duo Ira Stein and
761:Electronic music composer
346:magazine called the music
27:New-age music record label
1513:World music record labels
836:Hammered dulcimer player
773:Folk/Celtic trio Metamora
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532:Sony Music Entertainment
287:Sony Music Entertainment
161:Sony Music Entertainment
1165:"New Age Money Machine"
1140:"George Winston search"
989:Violinist and composer
806:Guitarist Sean Harkness
776:Fusion classical group
713:Group Angels of Venice
1483:American record labels
1234:"Windham Hill Records"
1220:www.paloaltoonline.com
1013:World fusion ensemble
827:Guitarist David Qualey
812:Guitarist Daniel Hecht
498:, who founded his own
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71:"Windham Hill Records"
953:Pianist and composer
947:Pianist and composer
893:Keyboardist Tim Story
464:Windham Hill through
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419:, and the success of
257:Palo Alto, California
1503:Vanity record labels
1457:Windham Hill Records
1340:Windham Hill Records
1238:Valley Entertainment
986:Trumpeter Jeff Oster
701:Acoustic jazz group
586:Valley Entertainment
549:. Artists included:
543:Saratoga, California
425:Holiday-themed music
268:Windham Hill Records
217:Valley Entertainment
140:Windham Hill Records
56:improve this article
959:Pianist and singer
629:High Street Records
613:Dancing Cat Records
500:Dancing Cat Records
1518:Jazz record labels
1508:Folk record labels
1288:Gnome Life Records
1092:The New York Times
1028:Music West Records
980:Singer-songwriter
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926:Pianist Bill Quist
923:Pianist Pat Gorman
725:Celtic jazz group
441:Avant Garde Gothic
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1319:Henry Adam Curtis
1190:"Winter Solstice"
848:Indie rock group
606:Associated labels
528:Legacy Recordings
295:Legacy Recordings
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1172:. Retrieved
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796:David Cullen
790:Robbie Basho
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656:Living Music
655:
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635:
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488:Jim Brickman
486:
450:
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408:Compact Disc
388:
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360:David Cullen
347:
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134:Record label
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54:Please help
49:verification
46:
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18:Windham Hill
1420:Meditations
1263:Jazz Weekly
1243:January 19,
997:Darol Anger
919:Scott Cossu
832:Andrew York
751:Wim Mertens
715:Carol Tatum
679:Rabbit Ears
660:Paul Winter
640:Andy Narell
512:RCA Records
466:RCA Records
368:Andrew York
259:(1976–1996)
1498:Sony Music
1477:Categories
1293:October 3,
1268:October 3,
1062:October 3,
1039:References
1003:The Nylons
995:Violinist
883:Fred Simon
862:Ray Obiedo
830:Guitarist
823:David Torn
821:Guitarist
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800:Guitarist
794:Guitarist
788:Guitarist
782:Guitarist
769:John Gorka
739:Mark Isham
727:Nightnoise
721:Lisa Lynne
636:Hip Pocket
579:Lisa Lynne
504:RCA Victor
400:Jerry Moss
394:and later
82:newspapers
1439:Returning
1126:0006-2510
1118:Billboard
1015:Shadowfax
931:Liz Story
854:Jazz duo
844:John Doan
755:Composer
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745:Ray Lynch
743:Composer
737:Composer
731:Composer
559:Liz Story
372:Billboard
364:John Doan
348:soft jazz
344:Billboard
1169:LA Times
1022:See also
941:Pianist
935:Pianist
929:Pianist
917:Pianist
911:Pianist
763:Vangelis
707:Bassist
703:Montreux
672:Open Air
600:RiffTrax
547:San Jose
482:Vangelis
457:PolyGram
421:December
412:Bay Area
396:December
253:Location
227:Acoustic
1199:May 24,
1174:May 24,
650:Magenta
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1151:2016
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1122:ISSN
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642:and
480:and
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