Legendary Boxing Promoter, Entrepreneur Butch Lewis Succumbs to Massive Heart Attack

Having celebrated his 65^th birthday at a party at Bethany Beach in Delaware at which the O’Jays performed on June 26th, legendary boxing promoter, film and music producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist Ronald “Butch” Lewis succumbed to a massive heart attack at 5am on Saturday, July 23^rd. The successful promoter and businessman who helped shape the boxing arena, had thrown his hat into the ring of the music business starting a new joint venture called Voicez Music Group with DefJam/Universal Records in 2008. Most recently he partnered with his longtime friend Bob Johnson in a joint venture between his Butch Lewis Productions (BLP) and Johnson’s IMG Worldwide, Inc. (IMG) to develop and operate a talent management company to primarily represent minority entertainers in the areas of endorsements, licensing and programming.

In addition to his boxing promotions, he has been a behind the scenes influence in many minority owned businesses and careers. It was Lewis who threw the welcome back party for the late James Brown upon his release from prison and who was there to help him get back on path. In fact, in 1991 when Lewis added an entertainment arm to his Butch Lewis Productions, he produced the blockbuster Pay-Per-View on Brown called “James Brown: Living in America.”

The flamboyant promoter, known for popularizing the tuxedo with no shirt look, was all about family as well, bringing his children into his businesses and executive producing the family drama “Once Upon A Time…When We Were Colored.” He produced other feature films as well in partnership with Tim Reid and BET, including “Out of Sync.”

Behind the success of many of boxing’s legends like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Michael Spinks for whom he negotiated the largest guaranteed payday in boxing history in 1988 for the “Superfight: Spinks vs Mike Tyson,” Lewis was instrumental in creating new opportunities for boxers and promoting them to new levels of success.

(See pictures from Lewis’ birthday party in BRE issue from columnist Rosalind R. Ray)

iHeartRadio: Biggest Live Concert Festival in Radio History

Las Vegas welcomes what is being touted as the “biggest live concert festival in radio history” to the MGM Grand for two consecutive nights on September 23 and 24 to celebrate the official launch of the new version of Clear Channel’s iHeartRadio digital service. Live audio and video streams of the iHeartRadio Music Festival will be available online, via mobile devices at www.iHeartRadio.com and across all of Clear Channel’s radio station websites.

And the line-up is stellar. According to “American Idol” host and Clear Channel radio personality Ryan Seacrest, the host for this two-day festival, “This is a once in a generation gathering of artists and fans from all over the country for a true, must-see music event. The iHeartRadio Music Festival, like the iHeartRadio digital radio service, will showcase top artists across all genres of music. Listeners from all over America will travel to Las Vegas to celebrate the next generation of iHeartRadio, while seeing the greatest musicians in the world on one stage.”

So far that lineup includes lineup Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Steven Tyler, The Black Eyed Peas, Kenny Chesney, Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Underwood, Jane’s Addiction, Nicki Minaj, John Mayer, David Guetta, Rascal Flatts, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson, Sublime with Rome and special performances from Usher and Sting, with more announcements still forthcoming.

“Building up to the festival, we will be presenting the biggest national promotion in radio history,” said John Hogan, President/CEO of Clear Channel Radio. “All 850 Clear Channel radio stations, spanning diverse music formats, introduced millions of listeners across the country to this historic music event. The majority of our stations will also feature exclusive radio and digital content including exclusive artist interviews and ticket giveaways. The announcement of the event alone has set new records. It’s the first announcement ever to roadblock all Clear Channel Radio platforms and the teasers and the announcement have reached an estimated 100 million people.”

Added Bob Pittman, Chairman of Media and Entertainment Platforms for Clear Channel Radio, “Music is the heart of our business and we think there is no better way to celebrate the launch of the New iHeartRadio than with a groundbreaking, multi-day festival featuring the world’s biggest, most exciting artists – and reaching the largest combined U.S. radio and online audience ever. This underscores Clear Channel’s transformation to a dynamic integrated media and entertainment company with an unmatched reach in the U.S. The New iHeartRadio will offer users a much broader, more integrated and customized digital listening experience than any other service available – and it’s all in one product.”

Seacrest’s video promo on the new iHeartRadio compares it to Pandora, “but with more songs, more control and no commercials through the end of the year.” The New iHeartRadio will deliver Clear Channel stations from across the country as well as the ability to create custom stations with even more songs, more control than the leading custom radio station services and with no commercials through the end of the year.

IDJMG Welcomes G.O.O.D. Music

Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) has signed an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with Kanye West’s record label, G.O.O.D. Music. West will continue as a core recording artist on the Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam label, but the artists he has signed to his label will now be released through IDJMG. The first artist under the new agreement is Detroit rapper Big Sean whose debut product, Finally Famous, arrived in stores on June 28. West executive produced the album, which features the single “My Last” featuring Chris Brown.

According to the new Chairman/CEO of Universal Motown Republic Group (UMRG) and IDJMG, Barry Weiss, “G.O.O.D. Music is an exciting new chapter in the long and successful association of Kanye West and Island Def Jam. As a recording artist and a producer over the past eight years, there is no one who has made a greater impression on the game than Kanye. We look forward to working closely with the new and established artists that he will be bringing to G.O.O.D. Music, which is already off to an impressive start with Big Sean.”

Added IDJMG President/COO Steve Bartels, “Kanye’s genius has been proven time and time again on records and onstage. He not only pours it out for himself, but he has made the difference with his presence on innumerable projects with other artists who are indebted to him. Kanye is an integral core member of the IDJ family, and G.O.O.D. Music continues his unselfish tradition of bringing along great new artists to the forefront.”

REMEMBERING GIL SCOTT-HERON: His ‘Revolution’ was Broadcast on WHUR

A BRE Appreciation

By Hedi Butler

By now, the bittersweet memorials following the recent death of Gil Scott-Heron have made their way through traditional media and the blogosphere. Tributes have poured in from those who lived through the spoken word and social protest movements of the late ‘60s, ‘70s and early ‘80s – the era of his greatest impact as a socially conscious poet, political prophet and affecting musician whose work combined minimalist percussion with jazz, soul and blues.

Brother Gil also received heartfelt props from the more contemporary heirs to his legacy of fusing life-driven truths with polyrhythmic sounds, although he famously rejected the “Godfather of Hip Hop” title bestowed on him, preferring “bluesologist.”

So it was perfectly fitting that both Stevie Wonder and Kanye West musically acknowledged Scott-Heron at his services in Harlem – and very reminiscent to this writer of the “360-degree black experience” that was programmed daily on WHUR-FM, Howard University Radio, which began broadcasting in the Greater Washington, D.C. Area in 1971 and is now celebrating its 40^th anniversary.

“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” Scott-Heron’s breakthrough satire on mass media consumption during a time of struggle, was played regularly on WHUR, along with “Winter in America” and other hard-hitting tell-it-like-it-is classics that could not easily find a home on local airwaves.

Combined with listening fare such as Kojo Nnamdi’s “The Drum” (news and talk), Melvin Lindsey’s “Quiet Storm” (the original format) – and so many milestones over the past four decades – campus and community audiences in the nation’s capitol were inspired to think and groove like never before.

RIP Brother Gil, congratulations WHUR!

Magic’s Inner City Moves

Earvin “Magic” Johnson is still making moves… off the court! The former NBA MVP turned businessman has scored in the media field, again. Recently, Johnson made a move to buy the senior debt of Inner City Broadcasting from Goldman Sachs. Earlier this year, he paired with billionaire Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Cos. to acquire three radio stations in Phoenix to the tune of about $16 million also has bought a major ownership stake in Vibe Holdings LLC, the parent company of Vibe magazine, Uptown magazine and the “Soul Train” TV show and its lucrative library.

This does not mean, however, that Johnson and his partner become majority owners of ICBC. Inner City, founded by Percy Sutton in 1971, owns 17 radio stations in markets such as New York City (including the Black heritage WBLS-FM (107.5) and Gospel AM (1190), San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Columbia, S.C., Fort Lauderdale, FL and Jackson, MS.

Pepe Sutton, CEO of Inner City, in an editorial last year in The New York Times, suggested that President Barack Obama bail out Black broadcasters as he did with automakers GM and Ford. And Sutton had also called on the Congressional Black Caucus to pressure its debt holders to back off.

Sylvia Rhone Relinquishes Motown Spot

Sylvia Rhone and SESAC Songwriter of the Year Rico Love

Sylvia Rhone has resigned as president of Universal Motown with GM Pat Monaco taking over the day-to-day operations of Universal Motown, while UMG looks for a replacement. UMG said in a statement that it remains “committed to [Universal Motown] as a strong presence in the contemporary music scene. We will soon announce important additions to the staff and will further invest in building its artist roster so Motown can continue to bring to market the highest quality music that is best positioned to succeed artistically and commercially.”

Rhone was named president of Universal Motown in 2004. “We’re thankful to Sylvia for her contributions,” said a Universal statement. “We continue to be in discussions with her on how and where she can best utilize her skills and relationships in the multiple rights arena in which UMG continues to expand.”

Before running Motown, Rhone was the top executive at Elektra Records. In a career that spanned three decades, she has jump started and maintained the successful careers of a variety of artists, including many that remain hot today, such as Lil Wayne, Akon and Nicki Minaj.

Esperanza Grabs Grammy’s Best New Artist

Debuting in 2008 with her self-titled album that spent more than 70 weeks on the Contemporary Jazz charts, this multi-lingual prodigy from Portland, Oregon has had a rapid ascent ever since she discovered the bass and taught herself to play. A Berklee College of Music alum, who also became the youngest ever instructor for the venerable music school at age 20, Spalding, who appears in the Banana Republic ad campaign, was invited to perform at the Nobel Prize Ceremony In Oslo, Norway by President Obama. Highlighted in Oprah’s May 2010 edition of O Magazine in “Women on the Rise,” Spalding is already readying her third album, Radio Music Society, for this spring.

Grammys Salute Aretha

“I loved it!” was the response on Aretha Franklin’s Facebook page about the Grammy Salute to Aretha that had Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Yolanda Adams, Florence Welch and Martina McBride performing Aretha hits. And in the personal message Aretha taped for the show, she looked great! The 18-time Grammy Award winner was in great spirits, having just attended the previous Friday night basketball game between the Detroit Pistons and the Miami Heat in hopes of personally meeting the Heat’s Dwayne Wade. The Queen of Soul fully expects to return to performing this May and recently recorded a new song with R. Kelly for her upcoming album on Aretha Records.

Michael Kyser Named 1st Ever President Atlantic Black Music

Michael Kyser (Photo by Andrew Zaeh)

Michael Kyser was named the first-ever President of Black Music for the Atlantic Records Group according to Atlantic Chairman/COO Julie Greenwald and Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman. Kyser, who began his music career two decades ago at Def Jam Recordings, joined Atlantic Records in 2004 as EVP of Urban Music.

Says Greenwald, “Kyser has been my trusted colleague and close friend for nearly 20 years, since we both joined Def Jam. We grew up together in this business. He has a deeper understanding of the urban music landscape than anyone in our industry. Kyser has immersed himself in the music and the culture, and he is a master at creating opportunities, building careers, and developing invaluable artist relationships. He has been a down-to-earth mentor and guide to artists and staffers alike, earning the genuine respect and loyalty of everyone he works with. I am very proud to announce this much-deserved promotion.”

Added Kallman, “It is a terrific testament to Kyser’s rich knowledge, insight, and achievements that he becomes the first person in Atlantic history to hold the title of President of Black Music. Among his many gifts, he knows intuitively how to bring the music to the widest possible audience, breaking down cultural barriers while nurturing the artist in the process. Since coming on board at Atlantic seven years ago, he has played a pivotal role in the revitalization of our urban presence.”

“Since Kyser joined us at Def Jam, I have watched him quite literally learn the business from the ground up: working the streets; hitting radio, TV, and the clubs; going on the road with the bands and doing whatever it took to break artists, get their music heard, and build brands,” commented Lyor Cohen, Warner Music Group Vice Chairman and Chairman and CEO, Recorded Music – Americas and the U.K. “That kind of complete immersion in an artist’s career is one of our top priorities at WMG, where we are 100% focused on identifying rising stars and nurturing their careers, as well as on giving our creative executives the support they need to make those careers the biggest they can be. Kyser is one of those executives. He doesn’t just do his job, he lives his job, and since those early days at Def Jam, I’ve seen him evolve into one of the most admired and accomplished members of the urban music community.”

Kyser, for his part, referred to the promotion as a dream come true, adding, “I’m looking forward to building on our achievements to take black music at Atlantic Records to new heights.”

Radio/TV Personality Bo Griffin Remembered (1959-2010)

Bo Griffin

It’s with a very sad heart, we report the untimely death due to intestinal cancer of radio personality Bontia “Bo” Griffin, recipient of BRE Magazine’s first Shannon Dell Breaking the Glass Ceiling Drummer Award. She was one of the greats. Bo was one of the first female personalities to be the lead on a major market morning show, and that was WPOW-FM (Power 96) in Miami. She was No. 1 and also did stints on WEDR-FM (99 Jamz) and WHQT-FM (Hot 105) as well as entertainment reporter for local TV. Let me tell you, if you didn’t know Bo, then you didn’t know…personality radio. She lit up your radio with her wit, a sparkling laugh and knowledge of her community, the world. If it was hot, Bo was on it! She was funny, she could be provocative and she was beautiful to listen to. She was also one of the first radio personalities to segue into television. I know because I introduced her to the great Don Brown of NBC News, who immediately saw her vivacious personality, and she began doing double duty on Power 96 and NBC 6 in Miami as the TV station’s entertainment reporter. Originally from Greenville, South Carolina where she also launched her own clothing boutique, Griffin went on to the television show “Good Day Live,” guest host of the Game Show Network’s “GSN Live,” host of the travel series “Blue Ribbon” on Turner South as well as the home makeover show, “The Big Reveal” for HGTV. That was her dream, to be in front of the camera.

God bless her…she was my friend, she was a shining example of a professional, of a person who loved what she did, and she did it well. May she rest in peace, but I know she won’t. She’s already up there, lighting up that big radio station in the sky!

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