On this day, April 17, 1934, Don Kirshner was born.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Fri Apr 17, 2020: Born on this day, April 17, 1934: Don Kirshner

Hat tip, as usual, This Day in Rock

Wed Apr 17, 2019: He would have turned 85 today: Don Kirshner.

1934 – BORN ON THIS DAY, DON KIRSHNER, WHO LAUNCHED THE CAREERS OF CAROLE KING, NEIL SEDAKA
Posted on 3:40 PM by STU SWEATMAN

1934 – Born on this day, Don Kirshner, who launched the careers of Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Harry Nilsson, The Monkees and The Archies.

Don Kirhsner



Kirshner in 1974

Born: Donald Kirshner; April 17, 1934; New York, New York, U.S.
Died: January 17, 2011 (aged 76); Boca Raton, Florida, U.S.

Donald Clark Kirshner (April 17, 1934 – January 17, 2011) was an American music publisher, music consultant, rock music producer, talent manager, and songwriter. Dubbed "the Man with the Golden Ear" by Time magazine, he was best known for managing songwriting talent as well as successful pop groups, such as the Monkees, Kansas, and the Archies.

Early life

Don Kirshner was born to a Jewish family in the Bronx, New York, the son of Gilbert Kirshner, a tailor, and Belle Jaffe. He graduated from George Washington High School in Manhattan, and went on to study at Upsala College in East Orange, New Jersey. After graduation he went to work for Vanderbilt Music, a small music publishing company owned by former Tin Pan Alley lyricist Al Lewis. Kirshner brought Lewis together with Sylvester Bradford, a blind African-American songwriter. Lewis and Bradford wrote "Tears on My Pillow", which was a big hit for Little Anthony and the Imperials in 1958.

Aldon Music

Main article: Aldon Music

Kirshner achieved his first major success in the late 1950s and early 1960s as co-owner of the influential New York-based publishing company Aldon Music with partner Al Nevins, which had under contract at various times several of the most important songwriters of the so-called "Brill Building" school, including Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond, Paul Simon, Phil Spector, Howard Greenfield, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Jack Keller.

As a producer-promoter, Kirshner was instrumental in launching the careers of singers and songwriters, including Bobby Darin, with whom he collaborated on a number of advertising jingles and pop "ditties" - their first was called Bubblegum Pop. He was also responsible for finding Tony Orlando, Neil Diamond, Carole King, and Sarah Dash of Labelle, as well as discovering the occasional rock act, such as Kansas.

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Good golly, there are so many of these:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=don+kirshner

I think this is what the kids call a "channel":

Don Kirshner's Rock Concert on YouTube

Don Kirshner's Rock Concert

[highplainsdem]

1. Some good concerts on his show. Bad Company, 1974: