Miami, FL (May 22, 2013)—Mack Emerman, the founder of the Miami recording studio Criteria, has died after a long illness, his daughter reported Tuesday. He was 89.
Emerman, a native of Erie, PA, helped produce some of the most famous albums by Eric Clapton, James Brown and the Bee Gees at Criteria, which he opened in 1959 in North Miami and which has been operated by the Hit Factory since 1999. During his time at Criteria, records including “Layla” by Clapton’s group Derek and the Dominos, Brown’s “I Feel Good,” and “Eat A Peach” by The Allman Brothers Band were produced there. Other artists who recorded at the facility included Black Sabbath, Bob Dylan, Gloria Estefan, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Lenny Kravitz, Lynrd Skynrd and R.E.M.
Emerman started his career in music playing the jazz trumpet while at Duke University. He performed live jazz in Southern Florida before opening Criteria.
On Tuesday, Emerman’s daughter, Bebe, said her father died of complications from pneumonia at the Miami Jewish Home for the Aged. He had been living at the home since 2004 when his health started failing. He is survived by his daughters Bebe Emerman and Julie Goldman, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
