Off The Record - On The Charts: A Podcast

We are closing out this season in the most magical and celebratory way possible—our final "Dads" episode. With millions of streams and records sold, 11-time Grammy winning producer, arranger, and composer Arif Mardin is rightly referred to as one of the architects of the soundtrack of our lives. The artists he brought his magic touch to include Aretha Franklin, The Bee Gees, Norah Jones, Phil Collins, Barbra Streisand, Willie Nelson, Donny Hathaway & Roberta Flack, The Rascals, Bette Midler, Daryl Hall & John Oates...  While Arif Mardin passed away 20 years ago, his incredible life and legacy are beautifully preserved in the 2010, Grammy nominated, full-length feature documentary, "The Greatest Ears in Town" and its companion album, "All My Friends Are Here," featuring his songs which he so proudly referred to as his "life’s work." 2026 marks another remarkable year in keeping Arif’s legendary legacy alive with the Library of Congress announcing the induction of Chaka Khan’s "I Feel For You" into the National Recording Registry, highlighting his innovative and visionary production work on the song. And—drum roll, please! Just four days after this episode airs, Arif will officially be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Join Dana and Adam as we sit down with Joe and discuss one of our favorite humans—his father, Arif Mardin. A comprehensive Spotify playlist is available after giving this episode a spin, to celebrate Arif, his incredible body of work and life.

He is a part of the rhythm powerhouse behind dozens of the most influential songs of the past 50+ years. In this heartfelt episode, hosts Adam, Joe, and Dana sit down with the legendary Chuck Rainey. Chuck has lent his iconic bass style to countless hits, including historic tracks recorded with each of the hosts' fathers—from Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady” to Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway’s “Where Is the Love.” The trio reminisces with Chuck about his special era at Atlantic Records, highlighting the tight bonds he formed with legendary producers Joel Dorn and Arif Mardin. With Adam being a bass player and Joe a drummer, this deep dive into the pocket is an absolute honor and a must-listen.

Back behind the scenes we go to the people who rarely get credit for their effort in making music history.   Theresa Dean came to Atlantic Records by a twist of fate through none other than Joel Dorn and her love for Rock N Roll music. Working her way up the ranks she became the “little td” to Tom Dowd’s “big TD” holding up the backend of his hectic schedule and fought for her rightful place as a no-nonsense woman upon his departure from the label.   Join Adam, Joe and Dana as we take a trip down memory lane and reflect on some incredible behind the scenes Atlantic Records stories and a deeper insight from one of the women who helped make it all happen. 

"Bee Side" - Outtake: (In Loving Memory) - Dino Danelli If you missed our “Bee Side” outtakes launch, they serves as an ode to the quirky 1969 7-inch single by The Arif Mardin Choirs (written by Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin, arranged by Mardin, and produced by Dowd).  In this "Bee Side", Adam, Dana, and Joe turn the spotlight onto the legendary Rascals drummer, Dino Danelli. We lost Dino in December of 2022, but his influence on music remains unmatched.   Join us as we reflect with his bandmate Felix Cavaliere on his incredible talent, dig deeper into his early background, musical contributions and analyze what made his driving rhythm so uniquely brilliant. 

Dana, Adam, and Joe are incredibly proud to start out Side 4 with a true music legend: one of the founding members of The Young Rascals/Rascals, Felix Cavaliere! Before he changed the course of music history, Felix was a brilliant, classically trained pianist studying pre-med. A chance opportunity to fill in with Joey Dee and the Starlighters completely altered his trajectory—and the music world is forever grateful. Without that twist of fate, 1960s chart-topping feel-good anthems like “Groovin’,” "A Beautiful Morning," and "People Got to Be Free” might never have existed. On this side, we dive deep into the history of The Rascals, uncover some fascinating, lesser-known music history and stories, exploring Felix's lifelong friendships and collaborations with our fathers Tommy, Arif, and Joel.

Bert Berns is one of the most prolific songwriters you have probably never heard of. Because of his untimely passing, his name stayed in the shadows. But you absolutely know his massive body of work. As an unsung hero of the 1960s, Berns shaped American music in less than a decade. He even helped save Atlantic Records during a major slump. In fact, he churned out more hits in a single year than anyone else on record. His children were all under three years old when he passed away, but thankfully, they share our deep passion for preserving his incredible musical legacy. A book, “Here Comes the Night: The Dark Soul of Bert Bersns and the Dirty Business of Rhythm and Blues” a movie “BANG! The Bert Berns Story” are available for a deeper dive and the music so riveting there is a musical in the works Join Adam, Joe, and Dana as we sit down with Bert’s son, Brett Bern. As the face of this beautiful effort, Brett has become family. Give this episode a spin, as we crack the history wide open. We even dive into the intense allegations of mobster involvement and clear up the history. Our Bert Berns playlist is now available for your listening pleasure on Spofity.

We're taking you back behind the scenes to the people whose names rarely appear on the album notes.  Chrissy Allerdings tenure at Atlantic Records began on Joel Dorn’s first “official” day in 1967. Starting from the ground up, she quickly proved her prowess and became a driving force behind the studio’s daily operations. Before long, she was Arif Mardin’s right hand (and let's be honest, probably Tom and Joel’s left hand, too).  In this episode, we dig into the deep some great never before heard stories that defined the era. With unwavering loyalty, she remained Arif’s right hand until his untimely passing in 2006.  We love our Chrissy, and we know you will, too. Subscribe, download, and give this heartfelt episode a whirl! 

Billy Vera is a man who has seemingly fit a dozen lifetimes into one. His journey spans from topping the charts and earning thunderous ovations at the Apollo with singing partner Judy Clay, to forging lifelong songwriting partnerships with both Chip Taylor and Lou Rawls. Even when the rug was swept out from under him, he consistently reinvented himself—first at Jerry Wexler’s recommendation by covering “With Pen In Hand,” and later building a successful radio career. When Dolly Parton took his song “I Really Got the Feeling” to the top of the charts, it provided the ultimate lifeline, setting the stage for a massive singing comeback with “At This Moment.” After the ballad was prominently featured in the blockbuster movie Blind Date, its global success allowed him to reunite with his old friend, producer Tommy Dowd, twenty-plus years later. Together, they crafted the 1988 album Retro Nuevo, bringing the legendary Arif Mardin back into the fold to work his magic on the arrangements and bring Billy's remarkable journey entirely full circle. Join Dana, Adam, and Joe as we sit down with Billy to discuss his incredible career as a ballad crooner, songwriter, and producer. We also dive into the vast knowledge that has made him a foremost music historian, which ultimately sparked a deep-rooted friendship with Joel Dorn.

Jerome Solon Felder, better known as Doc Pomus, was an incredibly significant yet unsung architect of early Rock and Roll. He became one of the earliest affiliates of Atlantic Records in the late 1940s, which is where he met his lifelong friend, Tommy Dowd. Having contracted polio as a child, Doc turned his deep passion for the blues into a lifelong calling. He regularly snuck out of his house without his parents' knowledge to immerse himself in the vibrant blues clubs of New York City, where he eventually learned to sing alongside the greatest musical icons of the era. But it didn’t stop there. Doc’s razor-sharp ear and brilliant knack for songwriting led to some of the most notable tracks in American history, from "Save The Last Dance For Me" to "A Teenager In Love" and "This Magic Moment" to name a few. Alongside his songwriting partner Mort Shuman and other collaborations, he left an indelible mark on the industry—and forged a lifelong friendship with Joel Dorn. In this heartfelt episode of “Off The Record – On The Charts”, co-hosts Adam, Dana, and Joe sit down with Doc’s daughter, Sharyn Felder. Together, they take an intimate trip down memory lane and discuss her incredible, decades-long efforts in preserving his towering musical legacy, and how her journey deeply intertwines with the hosts' own missions to honor their fathers' historic contributions.

Iconic record producer and label owner Joel Dorn’s journey into the Atlantic Records family started at age 14 when he first heard Ray Charles on the radio in his grandmother’s kitchen. Transfixed and forever changed by what he’d just heard he decided to write the label a series of letters. Label Co-owner Nesuhi Ertegun took notice and a lifelong friendship was formed. Within a hand full of years Joel (after breaking numerous Atlantic albums as a radio DJ in Philadelphia) officially joined the Atlantic family as a staff producer. While he may have physically left the label in 1976 ……. Atlantic never left his heart and soul.   In this episode Joe and Dana get personal with Adam about his late father’s legacy