Gil Friesen

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Gil Friesen (born March 19, 1937 in Pasadena , California , † December 13, 2012 in Brentwood , Los Angeles , California) was an American entrepreneur, label owner and film producer . He was best known as the co-founder and longtime boss of A&M Records . He was posthumously awarded the Oscar for best documentary film in 2014 for producing the film 20 Feet from Stardom .

Life

Gil Friesen grew up in a musical family in Pasadena, California. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles and began his career in the postal department of Capitol Records . From there he worked his way up to become a promoter and music manager .

In 1962, when Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss founded the independent label A&M Records, Friesen was one of the first employees. Moss liked to call it the " ampersand " in the label name. The label spawned a number of later stars from the 1960s to the 1980s, including Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass , Carole King , Cat Stevens , the Carpenters , Joe Cocker , Peter Frampton , The Police , Go-Go’s , Janet Jackson , Barry White and Bryan Adams . Friesen has been president of the label since 1977.

In 1981 he was the driving force behind A&M Films, the record label's film production company. He also tried himself as a film producer, among others with The Breakfast Club (1985), Lanny turns on (1985), A very crazy summer (1986) and Blaze - A dangerous love (1989). In 1990, when A&M Records was sold to Polygram Records , he retired from the label business.

Gil Friesen was chairman of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles . He also founded the Classic Sports Cable Network, of 1997 by ESPN for 175 million US dollars was acquired and was one of the first investors in the Internet company Akamai .

In 2012 he produced the documentary 20 Feet from Stardom by director Morgan Neville . The film was about the life of the background singers who lived in the shadows of big stars. He didn't live to see the premiere of the film. Friesen died of leukemia on December 13, 2012 . He was honored posthumously at the 2014 Academy Awards for producing the film.

Private life

Gil Friesen was married three times, most recently to his wife Janet Friesen, with whom he has two children. He also had a son from a previous marriage.

Filmography

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d e f Randy Lewis and Elaine Woo: Gil Friesen dies at 75; longtime president of A&M recording label. Los Angeles Times , December 14, 2012, accessed January 13, 2015 .
  2. ^ A b c Paul Vitello: Gil Friesen, Entertainment Executive, Dies at 75th New York Times , December 20, 2012, accessed January 13, 2015 .