CRP's Blog

Dorothy Carvello began her career in 1987 at Atlantic Records as the assistant to founder and president Ahmet Ertegun. She went on to work for many of the biggest names in music—Morris, Azoff, Galante, Buziak and Ienner—at Atlantic, Giant, RCA, Relativity and Columbia. Her no-holds-barred memoir Anything for a Hit reveals the shocking truth behind the male-dominated music industry. A must-read in the age of #MeToo and #TimesUp.

“No matter how sleazy you might have heard the music industry is, this memoir suggests that it was worse.” –Kirkus Reviews

What did it feel like to be the only woman inside the boardroom, especially in the early stages of your career at Atlantic?

I didn’t think of it as I was the first woman in the A&R department. It never occurred to me that I would be treated different from the men. Until they told me to my face things like “he needs a raise because he has a family” and “why do you need money, you have a husband?”

The name-calling you endured throughout the years is jaw-dropping, and truly hard to read about. Did you ever struggle with self-doubt? Ever feel like giving it all up? What made sticking it out feel worth it to you?

I had constant self-doubt and anxiety. But I never considered giving up because this is what I wanted to do. There was no plan B.

The men in the industry went to great lengths to protect each other above all else, and in contrast, you were left very vulnerable, without any allies. The clearest example from your book is when you were fired after complaining about the way a coworker was speaking to you disrespectfully (to say the least). It seems like that was also the moment when you first realized just how deeply disadvantaged women in business were back then.

When I was fired from Atlantic records—for writing a memo complaining about my boss and all of the bad behavior at the company—I knew it was wrong and illegal. I felt powerless; lawyers were telling me that there was no recourse. It seemed hopeless. The system was rigged to benefit the executives running the companies. Women were not valued as employees. They were there to serve and be sex objects to the men.

Were you ever afraid to write your story and name your oppressors as you do? 

I was never afraid to write my story. It’s always been a goal for me. I knew if I told the truth about everyone including myself that it would interest people. I was not threatened by anyone.

Have you seen any positive change over the past year as a result of #MeToo, or is it still too soon to say?

The #MeToo movement in the American consciousness is just beginning. This is the first time women and men have a safe place for this discussion. People are now finally ready to have this conversation. I know my book is hard to read, but these events happened, and I want the reader to feel the rawness that the music business had at that time.

Anything for a Hit is now available wherever books and e-books are sold.

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