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Archive for the ‘Manager’ Category

RIP, Jim Dickson (April 19, 2011) Manager Of The Byrds

Posted by themusicsover.com on April 19, 2011

Jim Dickson
DOB Unknown – April 19, 2011

Jim Dickson was a recording engineer, producer,  and eventual manager of the Byrds.  He is often cited as one of the foundations of the ’60s folk-rock movement, particularly that which was coming out of Southern California.  During his early years, Dickson produced records by the likes of Hamilton Camp, David Crosby, and the Dillards.  He soon began managing a new band formed by Crosby and Chris Hillman who at first went by the Beefeaters and then the Jet Set.  It was their desire to become Los Angeles’ answer to the Beatles.  In 1964, Dickson was sent a demo of Bob Dylan’s then-unreleased “Mr. Tamborine Man,” which the band, now known as the Byrds, recorded and released.  It would became one of the era’s definitive songs and helped launch a sound that inspired countless other musicians.  To help the band build a following in those early days, Dickson enlisted the help of such famous friends as Jack Nicholson and Albert Grossman to champion them. After Dickson split with the group in 1967, he went on to manage and produce the Flying Burrito Brothers which included Hillman,  Michael Clarke, and Gram Parsons.  He later worked with Parsons on his solo albums as well as Gene Clark and eventually retired to Hawaii where he became a competitive sailor.  Jim Dickson was 80 when he passed away on April 19, 2011.

Thanks to Scott Miller for the help

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RIP, Bob Marcucci (March 9, 2011) Original Rock ‘n Roll Idol Maker

Posted by themusicsover.com on March 9, 2011

Bob Marcucci
February 28, 1930 – March 9, 2011

Bob Marcucci was a successful artist manager who is perhaps best remembered for discovering and guiding the early careers of Frankie Avalon and Fabian.  Born in Philadelphia, PA, Marcucci was just 25 when he entered the music business as a song writer.  A short time later, he launched his own Chancellor Records where he signed Avalon and Fabian.  In later years, Marcucci managed popular gossip columnist Rona Barrett, and served as co-producer of the Bill Murray film, The Razor’s Edge.  The 1980 film, The Idolmaker was loosely based on his life in the music business.  Bob Marcucci died of respiratory failure on March 9, 2011.  He was 81.

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RIP, Sean “The Captain” Carasov (October 30, 2010) Record Label Exec

Posted by themusicsover.com on October 30, 2010

Sean Carasov
November 17, 1961 – October 30, 2010

Sean “The Captain” Carasov was a respected music industry executive who launched his career in the mid ’80s.  In those early years he acted as the Beastie Boys’ road manager and more – working for Russell Simmons at the time – on the inaugural tour.  If there was ever a “fourth Beastie,” by all accounts, it might very well have been Carasov.  An expert on and lover of hip-hop, he had no difficulty landing A&R gigs at such labels as Jive, Atlantic and Mammoth just as the genre was starting to explode.  His successes include signing A Tribe Called Quest and curating the popular Menace II Society soundtrack.   Carasov also contributed numerous articles to music magazines from France to Japan.  In later years, he handled music supervision for the film, American Pimp and was did A&R for ARTISTdirect Records.  Sean Carasov was 48 when he took his own life on October 30, 2010.

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Died On This Date (August 27, 1967) Brian Epstein / Managed The Beatles

Posted by themusicsover.com on August 27, 2010

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.

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Died On This Date (August 10, 2007) Tony Wilson / Co-founded Factory Records

Posted by themusicsover.com on August 10, 2010

Tony Wilson
February 20, 1950 – August 10, 2007

tony_wilsonA 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.

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Died On This Date (July 17, 1996) Chas Chandler / The Animals; Managed Jimi Hendrix

Posted by themusicsover.com on July 17, 2010

Chas Chandler
December 18, 1938 – July 17, 1996

Chas Chandler wore many hats throughout his music career. During the early ’60s, he co-founded 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 of a heart condition on July 17 of the following year.

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Died On This Date (July 10, 2008) Stu Sobol / Veteran Artist Manager; Seether, Yellowcard

Posted by themusicsover.com on July 10, 2010

Stu Sobol

May 25, 1958 – July 10, 2008

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 pneumonia on July 10, 2008. He was 50.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums

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Died On This Date (2009) Allen Klein / Managed the Beatles, Rolling Stones

Posted by themusicsover.com on July 4, 2010

Allen Klein
December 18, 1931 – July 4, 2009

allan_kleinAllen Klein was a record company executive and powerful artist manager during the 1960s.  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.

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Died On This Date (July 2, 2009) Tom Keylock / Rolling Stones Confidant

Posted by themusicsover.com on July 2, 2010

Tom Keylock
August 9, 1926 – July 2, 2009

keylock

With Brian Jones

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.

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Died On This Date (June 30, 2001) Chet Atkins

Posted by themusicsover.com on June 30, 2010

Chet Atkins
June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001

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.

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