Frank DiLeo (music manager)

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Frank Michael DiLeo (born October 23, 1947 in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , † August 24, 2011 in North Lima , Ohio ) was an American music manager and actor . He was best known as the manager of Michael Jackson from 1984 to 1989 and again from 2009.

Life

DiLeo grew up as the son of an Italian family in Pittsburgh, where he attended St. Bede Catholic School and Central Catholic High School. After graduating from school, he initially worked as a record seller and in various other professions, before he got a job at Epic Records in Cleveland in 1968 as a promoter for bands like The Hollies or Sly & the Family Stone . Because of his successful work, he was soon transferred to the Epic Records regional office in Chicago . This was followed by a job at RCA Records for artists such as Harry Nilsson , Waylon Jennings , John Denver , Charley Pride and Elvis Presley . DiLeo then worked briefly for Bell Records , and then moved to Monument Records in Nashville in 1972 , where he was responsible for promoting musicians such as Kris Kristofferson , Billy Swan , Boots Randolph and the Gatlin Brothers . In 1976, DiLeo quit Monument, moved back to Pittsburgh and married.

In 1979, CBS Records President Walter Yetnikoff DiLeo hired again for CBS subsidiary Epic Records as Vice President of National Promotion. DiLeo led a team of 65 promoters there. With a network of other independent promoters, he managed to massively increase the airplay of Epic titles on the radio. Under his aegis, the company's value grew from $ 65 million to $ 250 million, and Epic became the second largest label in the United States. Artists that DiLeo signed and promoted included The Clash , Quiet Riot , REO Speedwagon , Ozzy Osbourne , Gloria Estefan , Luther Vandross , Meat Loaf , Culture Club , Cyndi Lauper and Michael Jackson .

Impressed by the radio campaign planned by DiLeo for the album Thriller , Jackson hired him as its manager in 1984. He remained so while working on the album Bad , the Bad World Tour and working on the music film Moonwalker , for which DiLeo also acted as executive producer. The creation of the elaborate music videos for Jackson's single releases also went back to his initiative. He was executive producer for the music video for Bad , directed by Martin Scorsese . DiLeo was also instrumental in negotiating the $ 10 million advertising contract between Jackson and PepsiCo . Displeased with the sales of the Bad album, Jackson dismissed DiLeo in 1989.

In the following years DiLeo also managed other musicians such as Jodeci , Richie Sambora , Father MC , Taylor Dayne or 3T . He also appeared as an actor in several films, including Scorsese's Good Fellas - Three Decades in the Mafia and the comedies Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2 . From 2007 DiLeo was Chief Executive of the production company ValCom.

During the trial of Jackson's alleged child molestation in 2005, DiLeo attended every trial day as a listener, resulting in a renewed rapprochement between the two. In 2009 Jackson hired DiLeo again as his manager during the preparations for the planned tour This Is It . However, this did not come about because of the sudden death of the singer on June 25, 2009. DiLeo co- produced the documentary Michael Jackson's This Is It , which was made shortly afterwards .

A planned autobiography, which should also reveal details about his disputes with the Jackson Estate, could not be implemented by Frank DiLeo. After a heart operation in March 2011, complications arose from which he died on August 24, 2011. He left behind his wife, daughter and son, and a grandchild.

Filmography (selection)

production

  • 1987: Michael Jackson - Bad (Music Video, Executive Producer)
  • 1988: Michael Jackson - Speed ​​Demon (Music Video, Producer)
  • 1988: Moonwalker (Executive Producer)
  • 1989: Michael Jackson - Leave Me Alone (Music Video, Producer)
  • 1995: Michael Jackson - Video Greatest Hits - HIStory (Producer, Bad segment )
  • 2003: Michael Jackson - Number Ones (documentary, producer, Bad segment )
  • 2009: Michael Jackson's This Is It (documentary, co-producer)

actor

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Michael A. Fuoco: Remembrances of 'Tookie': Despite world renown, Frank Dileo was still a small-town guy at heart . In: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 26, 2011.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f Adam Sweeting: Frank Dileo obituary . In: The Guardian, August 28, 2011.
  3. ↑ a b c d Shirley Halperin: Frank DiLeo, Michael Jackson's Former Manager, Dies at 63 . In: The Hollywood Reporter, August 24, 2011.
  4. ↑ a b c Ben Sisario: Frank Dileo, Michael Jackson's Manager, Dies at 63 . In: New York Times, August 24, 2011.
  5. ^ A b The Estate of Michael Jackson Remembers Frank DiLeo . In: michaeljackson.com of August 24, 2011.
personal data
SURNAME DiLeo, Frank
ALTERNATIVE NAMES DiLeo, Frank Michael
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American music manager and actor
DATE OF BIRTH October 23, 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , United States
DATE OF DEATH August 24, 2011
Place of death North Lima , Ohio , United States