- Bob Krasnow
"Bob Krasnow" (born Robert A. Krasnow in 1935) is a leading music industry entrepreneur. His early career included working as a promotions man for
James Brown and sales representative forDecca Records . In the early 1960s, Krasnow foundedMK Records , which released the novelty record " [http://www.bayarearadio.org/audio/kya/1960/kya_winkly-nutly_1960.shtml Report To The Nation] ," aparody of the 1960 presidential campaign betweenJohn F. Kennedy andRichard M. Nixon .Krasnow also ran the
King Records branch office inSan Francisco from 1958 to 1964 before foundingLoma Records , which he headed from 1964 to 1966. He became vice president ofKama Sutra Records inLos Angeles in 1966, where he founded theBuddha Records subsidiary label.He left Kama Sutra/Buddha in 1968 to create
Beverly Hills -basedBlue Thumb Records , with producersDon Graham andTommy LiPuma . Among the acts Krasnow brought to Blue Thumb wereIke and Tina Turner , thePointer Sisters ,Dave Mason ,Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks ,Marc Bolan ,Arthur Lee ,Clifton Chenier ,Albert King andJohn Mayall .Krasnow served as president of Blue Thumb until 1974, when he became vice president/talent acquisistion for
Warner Bros. Records , a role he held until 1983 when he was elevated to chairman and CEO of Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records (later known as Elektra Entertainment). While with Warner and Elektra, he signed [Urban Verbs]Chaka Khan ,George Benson , George Clinton, andThe Cure to the labels.In 1994, he left Warner/Elektra to create Krasnow Entertainment, a joint venture with the MCA Music Entertainment Group, with offices at 1755 Broadway in
Manhattan .In private life, Krasnow has been a member of board of directors of
New York City Center (theater for independent choreography); a member of the board of directors and president's council of theBrooklyn Academy of Music ; co-president of the [http://www.french-music.org French Music Office] ; national committee member of theMarch of Dimes ; executive vice-president of thePaul Taylor Dance Company ; and a member of board of directors of theWadleigh School (New York).His honors include being named the [http://www.tjmartellfoundation.org T.J. Martell Foundation] Cancer Research Man of the Year in 1984 and 1989;
Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy honoree in 1989; and recipient of theEllis Island Medal of Honor in 1992.External links
* [http://www.billdeyoung.com/bluethumb.htm The Story of Blue Thumb Records]
* [http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/history.aspx?lid=4 Ballad Of The Blue Thumb Gang]
* [http://arts.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/krasnow-robert-biography Enotes.com Biography of Bob Krasnow]
* [http://www.lomarecords.com/index.htm Discography of Loma Records]
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