Rob Partridge was a UK music industry veteran who founded and ran the Coalition Group, a powerful management and PR firm. Partridge began his career in the mid ’70s when he worked as a journalist Music Week. By the late ’70s, he was the head of the publicity department at Island Records where he worked directly with such greats as Bob Marley, Marianne Faithfull, U2, Steve Winwood and Robert Palmer. He left Island in 1990 to form a PR firm which would eventually be called the Coalition Group after he opened a management division of the company. Over the years, Partridge represented the likes of Johnny Marr, Tom Waits, Bloc Party, and Billy Bragg. In recent years, Rob Partridge had been suffering from cancer. He died as a result of it at the age of 60.
Maurice Jones began his career as an artist manager, overseeing the career of English rock band, Slade. He eventually started his own promotion company, helping popularize such bands as Def Leppard, the Eurythmics, AC/DC, and Simple Minds. In 1984, Jones joined forces with Bob Geldolf and Midge Ure to promote Live Aid, the massive fund raising concerts that were held in Philadelphia and London and seen by an estimated 400 million people world wide. The concerts featured the biggest acts in popular music at the time. After the success of Live Aid, Jones went on to create the Monsters Of Rock festival that ran for many years outside of England’s Castle Donnington and other locations from time to time. The festivals featured the biggest names in hard rock music. Maurice Jones was 64 when he died of cancer on November 13, 2009.
Byron Lee was a Jamaican musician, band leader and producer who has been credited for introducing the electric bass to Jamaica. He formed the Dragonaires in the early ’50s. They went on to become one of the most successful and influential ska bands Jamaica has ever known. As a producer, Lee worked with the likes of the Maytals. He later bought a recording studio and turned it into the best of it’s kind in Jamaican, hosting the Rolling Stones and Paul Simon among other major acts. In 2007, it became known that Lee was being treated for bladder cancer. Although he was no longer able to perform with the Dragonaires, he continued on in a management capacity. Byron Lee died of cancer at the age of 73.
Dee Anthony was a legendary artist manager who helped develop the young careers of such artists as Traffic, J. Geils Band, Ten Years After, Jethro Tull, Joe Cocker, Devo and Peter Allen. His career started in the mid ’40s when he began representing his friend, Jerry Vale. In 1954, he picked up Tony Bennett who he managed for over ten years. During the ’70s, he managed Humble Pie, and when Peter Frampton went solo, it was Anthony that helped guide him through the massive success of his Frampton Comes Alive era. Anthony retired from the music business during the ’90s. He was 83 when he died of pneumonia on October 25, 2009.
Bill Graham (Born Wolodia “Wolfgang” Grajonca)
January 8, 1931 – October 25, 1991
Bill Graham was a world famous concert promoter who played a key part in the growth of ’60s American rock ‘n roll. As a Jewish child born in Berlin, Graham barely escaped the Nazis by being placed in an orphanage by his mother. Fortunately, that orphanage relocated him to France before the Halocaust. Graham moved to New York City where he received his schooling after which he served in the Korean War and eventually ended up in San Francisco. In 1965, he landed his first show businees job, managing the San Francisco Mime Troupe which lead to him booking and promoting shows at the Fillmore Auditorium. Graham had a knack for finding acts that appealed to the city’s growing counter-culture scene and in doing so helped the scene itself grow. Some of the acts he featured in those early years were Janis Joplin, Country Joe & the Fish, the Fugs, Jefferson Airplane and of course, the Grateful Dead. By the late ’60s, Graham was the most popular rock concert promoter in the country. Besides the Fillmore and Winterland in San Francisco, he was booking the Fillmore East in New York City. He also promoted tours by the Rolling Stones as well as such concert events as Live Aid and Human Rights Now tour for Amnesty Now. On October 25, 1991, 60-year-old Bill Graham was flying home after a Huey Lewis concert in nearby Concord, California. The helicopter he was in crashed shortly after takeoff, killing Graham, his girlfriend, and the pilot. Reports indicate that less-than-ideal weather caused the pilot to crash into an electrical tower.
Just three days after the release of Street Survivors, several members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, including Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines, his sister,Cassie Gaines and road manager, Dean Kilpatrick boarded a small plane in Greenville, SC to Baton Rouge, LA. For unknown reasons, the plane ran out of fuel just outside of Gillsburg, MS and crashed in the woods. Van Zant, Cassie and Steve Gaines, and Kilpatrick were killed instantly. Although other band members survived and the group’s popularity had grown significantly in recent months, Lynyrd Skynyrd was over until their much welcomed reformation in 1987.
Byran Morrison was a music publisher and manager who guided the careers of the Pretty Things and Pink Floyd during their early years. As a music publisher, he owned the valuable catalogs of Wham, T. Rex, the Bee Gees and the Jam. In 2006, Morrison was involved in an accident, leaving him in a coma ever since. On September 26, 2008, Bryan Morrison died due to an apparent infection at the age of 65.
Rob Tyner (born Robert Derminer)
December 12, 1944 – September 18, 1991
Rob Tyner was the lead singer of Detroit garage rock band, the MC5 who were heavy influences on the punk movement to soon follow. More than just another loud blues-rock band, the MC5 were endeared by fans for their anti-establishment lyrics. The band’s use of itself as a political voice inspired future generations to do the same. Later bands like the Clash and Rage Against the Machine have cited them as an influence for doing just that. The MC5’s “Kick Out The Jams” is one of the era’s most covered songs by countless young garage bands to follow. Even Tyner’s spirited “Kick out the jams motherfucker!” intro that he spontaneously shouted on a live recording is often repeated on cover versions. The MC5 broke up in 1972 and Tyner formed another band or two but was never able to get much going commercial. He did however, build himself a nice reputation as a manager, producer and concert promoter in the Detroit area. Rob Tyner died in a local hospital after suffering a heart attack while driving near his home. He was 46.
David McCoy Franklin was an entertainment lawyer whose clientele included Miles Davis and Peabo Bryson. In recent years he was a key advisor to Maynard Jackson, the former mayor of Atlanta. He passed away at the age of 65.
Skip Miller was a respected music industry executive whose career spanned almost 40 years. Miller started his career at in the promotion department of Motown Records, where he eventually became President. After the company was sold in 1988, Miller moved over to RCA Records as Sr. Vice President. In recent years, Miller ran his own management company, Panda Entertainment Group. Skip Miller died of a heart attack at a Los Angeles hospital.
Brian Epstein
September 19, 1934 – August 27, 1967
Although he also managed among others, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas and Gerry & the Pacemakers, Brian Epstein is best remembered as manager of the Beatles. Many give him credit for the early success of the band. Epstein first met the Beatles after the Cavern Club show on November 9, 1961. By late January of 1962, Epstein was officially the band’s manager. He helped facilitate many of the band’s earliest successes, but by January of 1966, the Beatles decided not to renew their contract which was due to expire the following year. Epstein was notoriously addicted to drugs, and on August 27, 1967, he died of what was ruled and accidental overdose. He was 32 years old. In later years, Paul McCartney claimed that “if anyone was the fifth Beatle, it was Brian.” And John Lennon once said that Eptstein’s death was the beginning of the end of the Beatles.
A man of many hats, Tony Wilson is best remembered as co-owner of Factory Records, home the one-time home of Joy Division, New Order and OMD. He also owned The Hacienda, which became the epicenter of the Manchester music scene of the late ’80s and early ’90s. Before his foray into music, Wilson was a journalist and BBC television peronaility, most notably hosting So It Goes and After Dark. Suffering from advance stages of renal cancer, Wilson, age 57, died of a heart attack in a Manchester hospital.
Chas Chandler wore many hats throughout his music career. During the early ’60s, he co-found the Animals with Alan Price and Eric Burdon, playing bass for the band. After the group broke up, he got into artist management, his famous client being Jimi Hendrix. Later, he produced records for Slade and Nick Drake while running his own recording studio and eventually starting his own label, Barn Records. In his later years, Chandler helped develop the Newcastle Arena, which opened in 1995. Chandler died on July 17 of the following year of a heart condition.
Stu Sobol began his career at retail, working for Wherehouse Records in Van Nuys, California. In later years, Sobol went into artist management, establishing his solid with Spivak Sobol Entertainment and later, The Firm after the two companies merged. Over his twenty year career in management,Sobol oversaw the careers of Seether, A Perfect Circle, Yellowcard, Vanessa Carlton, and Zach de la Rocha. Sobolalso served on the City of Calabasas Traffic And Transportation Commision. Hedied of complications from pneomonia on July 10, 2008. He was 50.
Allen Klein was a record company executive and powerful artist manager during the 1060s. Known as a ruthless businessman, many artists benefited from his abilities to get them better record deals and higher royalties. His client list included Bobby Darin, Herman’s Hermits, Sam Cooke, and most famously, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. His relationships with the Rolling Stones and the Beatles would eventually sour, ending in lawsuits. Some Beatles fans reportedly blamed tensions caused by Allen for driving the band apart. Allen Klein died after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease at the age of 77.
Tom Keylock was initially the Rolling Stones’ driver during the early years of their career. Due to his strong loyalty to the band, he quickly moved up through the ranks to more care-taker and confidant of the group. His duties over the years included acting as body guard, road manager, escort, cook and “fixer.” He established a personal relationship with the guys, who oftentimes sought his counsel on relationships and such. When Brian Jones drowned in 1969, it was Keylock that was one of the first on the scene, resulting in unfounded rumors about his possible involvement in the mysterious death. After leaving the Stones, Keylock started his own chauffer company, and in the ’80s, he worked as a driver for England’s football team. He passed away at the age of 82.
Chet Atkins was one of the most influential musicians to come out of Nashville. And yet, he was much more than that. Atkins worked on the business side as well, spending some time as an artist manager as well as Vice President of RCA Records‘ country division where he remarkably signed Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Bobby Bare, Connie Smith and Jerry Reed to name just a few. As a producer, Atkins made hits for Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Eddy Arnold, Waylon Jennings and many more. The sounds he created on record are credited as being one of the foundations of what would become known as the Nashville Sound. Atkins’ style of playing was itself influenced by the great Merle Travis and is one of the most difficult sounds to imitate, earning him the nickname, “Mister Guitar.” Over the course of his career, Atkins won fourteen Grammys, nine Country Music Association awards, and the Billboard Century award. He was also inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, invited to the White House to play for every president from Kennedy to Bush Sr., and had a stretch of highway in Georgia named after him. Atkins died of cancer on June 30, 2001.
Murry Wilson was a songwriter, musician, record producer, and most importantly, the father of Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. Wilson began as a songwriter during the ’50s, having a couple of his songs covered but never gaining much success. All the while, he was teaching his own sons how to write, sing and play music. The brothers eventually added cousin Mike Love and schoolmate, Al Jardine to become the Beach Boys. The Beach Boys would soon become one of the most popular bands in rock history by almost single-handedly definining a musical genre. While managing the boys’ career, Murry was known to be a fierce negotiator, and was reportedly just as ruthless at home. He and his sons had a tough relationship that may have actually fueled their creativity and drive. Murry Wilson died following a heart attack at the age of 55.
Poodie Locke worked as Willie Nelson’s stage manager for the past 34 years. According to all reports, Locke was loved by all who met him due to his warm personality, bigger-than-life presence, and bear-like hugs. Besides being one of the brightest and strongest stars in the Willie Nelson world, Locke owned his own Austin-area bar and had his own line of barbecue sauces. Locke first met Nelson when he was just twelve years old and went on to work for him after he did a stint as a roadie for B.W. Stevenson. Poodie Locke died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 56.
Tom “Big Daddy” Donahue
May 21, 1928 – April 28, 1975
Tom Donahue was a ground breaking disc jockey who took a San Francisco foreign language station and transformed it into America’s first “free form” station which would become the model for FM album oriented stations across the country. Donahue started his radio career in South Carolina in 1949, but moved to the Bay Area after the payola scandal where he started a record label for the Beau Brummels who he discovered and managed. e also produced concerts and opened a psychedelic club. In 1972, he became the GM of KSAN and encouraged the on-air talent to dig deep into the albums, play songs from different genres and eras, and inject political commentary. The station became an instant hit with the counter-culture, so Donuhue and his wife, Raechel successfully brought his idea to Los Angeles stations, KPPC and future legend, KMET. Similar stations spread across the country through the rest of the ‘70s. Donahue suffered a fatal heart attack on April 28, 1975.
Rob Partridge was a UK music industry veteran who founded and ran the Coalition Group, a powerful management and PR firm. Partridge began his career in the mid ’70s when he worked as a journalist Music Week. By the late ’70s, he was the head of the publicity department at Island Records where he worked directly with such greats as Bob Marley, Marianne Faithfull, U2, Steve Winwood and Robert Palmer. He left Island in 1990 to form a PR firm which would eventually be called the Coalition Group after he opened a management division of the company. Over the years, Partridge represented the likes of Johnny Marr, Tom Waits, Bloc Party, and Billy Bragg. In recent years, Rob Partridge had been suffering from cancer. He died as a result of it at the age of 60.
Byron Lee was a Jamaican musician, band leader and producer who has been credited for introducing the electric bass to Jamaica. He formed the Dragonaires in the early ’50s. They went on to become one of the most successful and influential ska bands Jamaica has ever known. As a producer, Lee worked with the likes of the Maytals. He later bought a recording studio and turned it into the best of it’s kind in Jamaican, hosting the Rolling Stones and Paul Simon among other major acts. In 2007, it became known that Lee was being treated for bladder cancer. Although he was no longer able to perform with the Dragonaires, he continued on in a management capacity. Byron Lee died of cancer at the age of 73.
Skip Miller was a respected music industry executive whose career spanned almost 40 years. Miller started his career at in the promotion department of Motown Records, where he eventually became President. After the company was sold in 1988, Miller moved over to RCA Records as Sr. Vice President. In recent years, Miller ran his own management company, Panda Entertainment Group. Skip Miller died of a heart attack at a Los Angeles hospital.
A man of many hats, Tony Wilson is best remembered as co-owner of Factory Records, home the one-time home of Joy Division, New Order and OMD. He also owned The Hacienda, which became the epicenter of the Manchester music scene of the late ’80s and early ’90s. Before his foray into music, Wilson was a journalist and BBC television peronaility, most notably hosting So It Goes and After Dark. Suffering from advance stages of renal cancer, Wilson, age 57, died of a heart attack in a Manchester hospital.
Stu Sobol began his career at retail, working for Wherehouse Records in Van Nuys, California. In later years, Sobol went into artist management, establishing his solid with Spivak Sobol Entertainment and later, The Firm after the two companies merged. Over his twenty year career in management, Sobol oversaw the careers of Seether, A Perfect Circle, Yellowcard, Vanessa Carlton, and Zach de la Rocha. Sobol also served on the City of Calabasas Traffic And Transportation Commision. He died of complications from pneomonia on July 10, 2008. He was 50.
