Don Kirshner's Posthumous Induction Into Rock Hall of Fame Would Have Been "a Great Thrill," Former Business Partner Says

CLEVELAND, April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Don Kirshner, the music visionary and star maker whom Time Magazine called "The Man With The Golden Ear" was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last Saturday night, an honor that his former business partner says would have been "a great thrill" for him.

"Don would have appreciated being recognized by the industry that he loved and was so instrumental in shaping," said Jack Wishna, a noted entrepreneur and producer. "Don's legacy was cultivated behind the scenes, as the real force in jump-starting the careers of some of the biggest names in rock and roll history."

A widely respected music icon who passed away on January 17, 2011, Kirshner launched the careers of more rock bands and artists than anyone else on the planet. Among the talent he promoted, discovered or produced were Neil Diamond, Carole King, The Beach Boys, Blondie, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Cher, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Judas Priest, Fleetwood Mac, Barry Manilow, Paul McCartney, Olivia Newton-John, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner and The Who.

Don Kirshner's career spanned the heyday of New York's Brill Building, which was the ground zero of pop songwriting, included a pivotal role in creating the Monkees and the Archies, and later found him hosting the long-running live-music television show Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.

At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 27th annual Induction Ceremony last Saturday night, Kirshner received the Ahmet Ertegun Award for Lifetime Achievement, which honors non-performing industry professionals who have had a "major influence on the development of rock and roll."

One of the most prolific of the Brill Building musicians, Carole King, presented the award to Kirshner's widow, Sheila. In her speech, King hailed Don Kirshner as "one of the significant influences on popular music in the 20th century." Sheila Kirshner noted that her late husband would have turned 77 on April 17, and considered the induction "the best present he could've received." Darlene Love performed King's song "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" as a tribute.

Don Kirshner was the co-founder of Aldon Music, which discovered songwriters such as Carol King and Neil Diamond. "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" ran for 10 years on ABC and featured artists that Kirshner helped discover.

Before his death, Kirshner teamed up with Wishna to co-found Rockcityclub.com, along with the legendary performer Michael Jackson. The web-based Rockcityclub.com is a new company dedicated to helping independent music artists get discovered and become successful.

Through its first-of-a-kind "Social Music Network," Rockcityclub.com is consolidating services such as artist development, promotion and distribution into a one-stop shop integrated with Facebook, Twitter and other social media. The website provides music fans with an easy way to discover and engage new artists and bands around the world.

For more information, go to www.rockcityclub.com

Media contact:

Dan Wilinsky, Rockrena, Inc.
Tel. 858-210-5469
E-mail: [email protected]
Press: blog.rockcityclub.com

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Rockrena, Inc.