Please do not confuse with his son, the blues musician John Paul Hammond.

American record producer (mainly for Columbia), promoter, talent scout, writer, music critic & civil rights activist (born 15 December 1910 in New York City, NY, USA - died 10 July 1987 in the same city).
He was responsible for discovering Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Pete Seeger, and Bruce Springsteen, among others.
Inducted into Rock’N’Roll Hall Of Fame (Lifetime Achievement) in 1986.