Arthur Shimkin

Arthur Shimkin (1922-2006) was a record producer. The former head of '50s pop label Bell Records, Shimkin worked on many Sesame Street albums in the '70s and '80s, first as project supervisor, and later as producer. On the 1975 album Merry Christmas from Sesame Street, the backing chorus was billed as "The Voices of Arthur Shimkin," indicating his role in assembling the group

In all, the 3,000 records to his credit sold more than 5 million copies. He was nominated for 13 Grammys.

At Simon & Schuster, he conceived Little Golden Records, storybooks read on two-sided 45 r.p.m. records. Predecessors to audiobooks on tapes and CDs, they starred Bing Crosby, Alfred Hitchcock, Roy Rogers, Burl Ives, and Johnny Cash.

He died in his Manhattan home on December 4, 2006, at the age of 84.

Album Credits

Original Concept & Design

• The Muppet Alphabet Album

Project Supervisor

• The Sesame Street Book & Record
• C is for Cookie
• The Sesame Street Monsters!
• Bert's Blockbusters
• Ernie's Hits
• Big Bird Sings!
• 10th Anniversary Album
• Let a Frown Be Your Umbrella
• Grover Sings the Blues
• Letters ...and Numbers, Too!
• Somebody Come and Play

Producer

• The Count Counts
• Havin' Fun with Ernie & Bert
• Merry Christmas from Sesame Street (Executive Producer for CRA)
• Love
• Big Bird Discovers the Orchestra