Music industry executive and entrepreneur Seymour Stein died away on April 2. He was 80. A representative said that Stein had been battling cancer for quite some time before his death. Jerry Harrison, a well-known musician, posted a black and white photo of Stein as a homage to him on Facebook. A “genuine original” and “amazing record guy,” in his words, Harrison. Harrison continued: “His judgement was impeccable for many years, and few people have come close to matching his success rate. He was also wise and certain enough to defer to his artists’ judgement: Talking Heads chose the course of each album, created the artwork for its first covers, and oversaw its production of music videos. We lucked out by finding a reliable buddy who trusted us and listened to his gut.”
Seymour Stein popularity
Seymour Stein joined Billboard in 1958 after working for King Records for a year. He was born on April 18, 1942. In 1966, he began working for Red Bird Records and, along with record producer Richard Gottehrer, founded Sire Productions, which eventually became Sire Records.
London Records distributed the earliest releases for the record label, and their efforts were crucial in introducing new artists to the public. ABC Records, Polydor Records, and Famous Music took up the distribution of their albums later on.
Of the many compilation CDs Sire Records has put out, the Climax Blues Band song “Couldn’t Get It Right” stands out. When it was first released in 1977, the record reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Seymour Stein’s cause of death
One of the most prominent music businessmen of the 20th century, Seymour Stein, died on Sunday at his home in Los Angeles at 80. During his career, he often spoke of his Jewish Brooklynite heritage.
According to sources, it was caused by cancer of some kind. Stein, born Seymour Steinbigle in 1942 and lived near Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, recruited a wide variety of musicians to his Sire record label, including pop icons like Madonna, punk rockers like The Ramones, and New Wave forefathers like Talking Heads.
Stein’s father grew more involved in the Orthodox Jewish community in his 30s and 40s. He began taking his family to the local synagogue, where he eventually became vice president, as Stein describes in his autobiography published in 2018. According to Stein, his father would visit the temple twice daily: at 6 a.m. before heading to work in Manhattan’s Garment District and once again on his way home.
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