Bob Shad

Robert "Bob" Shad (born Abraham Shadrinsky; February 12, 1920 – March 13, 1985) was an American record producer and record label owner. He produced the first album by Big Brother and the Holding Company (featuring Janis Joplin). Among his labels were Time Records, Brent Records, and Mainstream Records.

Career Shad's career as a producer began with working for Herman Lubinsky at Savoy Records and Al Green at National Records in the 1940s, producing Charlie Parker in addition to blues and R&B material.

Shad's grandson is the writer-director Judd Apatow. His wife, Molly Shad, appeared in Apatow's film This Is 40, playing the grandmother of Paul Rudd's character. In the Apatow-written Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, the singer who Cox mimics in his first nightclub show is named after Shad.