JON de MELLO

What this episode covers

Jon de Mello is the big man on campus when it comes to Hawaiian Music. The way he went from art school to music production is a captivating story that has many twists and turns. Especially interesting is how he developed his business skills. In 2002, he became the first producer from a Hawai’i record label to have achieved an RIAA certified Gold Record and in 2005 achieved Platinum. Jon was instrumental in the Grammy Awards adding the Hawaiian Music category in 2005 and 3 out of the 5 nominees were represented by Jon and his company. So how did he go from a studio artist and painter to a media mogul? That’s no short story and it spans over 30 years. Jon was mentored by very successful and already established business men in his early years. Team that with his artistic talent, passion, community focus and a bit of good fortune and what you have is magic. Jon shares with us how community involvement makes good business sense and talks about integrating programs into his business. This commitment to the community is one of the main reasons he’s become so successful. Some questions asked: Can you tell us a bit about The Mountain Apple Company and what they do? Where did the name Mountain Apple come from? What does a music producer actually do? How did you get started? What influence did your father have on your success? How has that helped your business? How long did it take to see success? How did you make the leap from being an artist to becoming a business executive? Any advice for today’s young business person? Where do you find talent? What do you consider talent? What is the most important thing for an artist to work on to become a successful artist? How did you learn your business skills? How can an artist get you to listen to their music? What are the biggest mistake that artists make when trying to make a career? What community organizations or non profits are you involved with? BIO: Jon de Mello is Hawai’i’s foremost leader in the area of music recording, distribution, publishing, licensing and talent management. As Owner and President of The Mountain Apple Company, he has built the company into a successful business that competes on an international arena in the sales and marketing of Hawaiian and island music. That dedication to the music and the artists that The Mountain Apple Company represents is evident in the successes that he has received. He has produced over 150 recording projects that range from traditional Hawaiian to contemporary Hawaiian to island music. In 2002, he became the first producer from a Hawai’i record label to have achieved an RIAA certified Gold Record and 2005 achieved Platinum. He worked closely in developing a CD that was nominated on the 2002 final Grammy ballot for “Reggae Album of the Year.” The recording projects he has developed and worked with have garnered almost 100 Nä Hökü Hanohano Awards (Hawai’i’s version of the Grammys). Jon de Mello was born into a musical family. His great-grandfather, who came to Hawai’i in 1889 on one of the first Portuguese immigrant ships, played the ‘ukulele, Portugal’s contribution to Hawaiian music. His father operated one of Hawai’i’s oldest recording companies, Music of Polynesia, and made his mark by adding lush orchestration to traditional Hawaiian music. Jon began playing the piano at the age of five, and began learning his father’s trade by sitting in on recording sessions and business meetings. His interest expanded to fine art, and he studied painting at the California College of Arts and Crafts, graduating in 1970 with a fine arts degree. When he returned to the islands, he continued his artistic studies at the University of Hawai’i while simultaneously embarking on several busi...