From an obituary for Al Julian: Al Julian was originally from Boston, Massachusetts. After high school, he worked in a record shop in downtown Boston before enlisting in the Air Force during the Korean War. He returned to Boston and became involved full time in the record business, handling marketing and media promotion for major recording companies including Capitol Records. He was the founder of Improvisational Promotions and the Independent Media Service Company. Al was the Eastern General Manager for Concord Records for 18 years. He also co-founded the Woody Herman Society, publishing the Society’s newsletter The Herds for over 20 years in memory of his dear friend, bandleader Woody Herman. Al and his wife of 54 years, Anna, moved to Florida in the late fall of 1997.  He served on the Boards of the Hope Academy of Music and the Charlotte County Jazz Society, and was also a member of the Jazz Educator Network International. The Woody Herman Society came into existence following a 4-day celebration of Woody Herman and the Herds in Newport Beach, CA in September of 1993.  Founded initially by Ingrid Herman Reese (Woody’s daughter) and long-time friend Al Julian, some goals for the society were to make it financially sound, to establish scholarship funds, to sponsor concerts and clinics, and to keep a publication, The Herds, in print with materials reviews, background information on Woody and the bands.  Al and Anna became editor and custodian of the Society from their home at that time in Winthrop, MA, continuing long after their move to Florida.  The first issue of the newsletter came in the fall of 1993, with the publication continuing until Issue # 61 in February of 2014.

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