Bob Burton & Jude Johnstone
Longtime friends and business partners, Bob Burton and Pat Sajak, created BoJak Records specifically to release the music of the exceptional singer-songwriter, Jude Johnstone. Burton has been Jude’s manager for 30 years, and the talented singer-songwriter’s music is co-published by Sajak Music. “Bojak Records is pleased to be associated with such a special artist as Jude Johnstone. I feel Jude is one of the best songwriters of her generation,” says Burton.
Several years after graduating from the University of Texas in Austin, Burton began his artist management career managing the popular Texas band St. Elmo’s Fire from 1975-1979. Thereafter, Burton relocated to Los Angeles and partnered with legendary engineer-producer Henry Lewy. Lewy began in the infancy of the singer-songwriter era working with Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, David Crosby, and The Flying Burrito Bros. among others. Lewy was looking to discover new talent to produce and Burton was seeking new artists to manage. Burton and Lewy started visiting Los Angeles music clubs and from a suggestion by Jennifer Warnes, went to hear Johnstone perform at The Bla Bla Club in Studio City. Both were struck by Johnstone’s passion, her songs’ beautiful melodies and haunting lyrics, and that night decided they wanted to work with her.
Henry Lewy
Burton became Johnstone’s manager and Lewy produced her at Lewy’s base, A&M Studios. Johnstone’s first project never reached retail, but created a lasting management relationship between Burton and Johnstone and a trusted mentor in Lewy. Johnstone found success as a songwriter and some 20 years later she and Burton decided to record another project. Subsequently, BoJak Records was created to release Johnstone’s 2002 debut CD, Coming of Age.