"I'm saddened to learn of the loss of Don Kirshner. He was the king of Tin Pan Alley - there never was a better song plugger," Diamond said in a statement to the AP. "ll always be grateful to him for pairing 'I'm A Believer' and other songs of mine with the Monkees. The music business never had a better supporter."
Kirshner also was behind the music that made magic for The Archies, based off the comic strip characters, including the classic "Sugar Sugar."
"Don Kirshner's Rock Concert," which premiered in 1972 and ran a decade, gave national exposure to musicians including Joel and the Police. Kirshner also helped launch the careers of Prince, The Eagles, Lionel Richie and Ozzy Osborne. The show also boosted careers of comics including Billy Crystal, Arsenio Hall and David Letterman.
"Don Kirshner gave new, young musicians the opportunity to showcase their performances for a huge audience during the 'golden age' of the popular music business," Joel said in a statement. "At the time, his 'hands-off' approach to how rock and roll music was presented made television a viable medium for many now-iconic recording artists."
Paul Shaffer, Letterman's musical director, used to give a deadpan performance during his imitation of Kirshner on Saturday Night Live. Shaffer and Kirshner worked together on the short-lived sitcom, A Year at the Top, according to Shaffer's manager.
http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13862722 I remember as a kid how I couldn't wait for Don Kirshner's Rock Concert to come on. Rock on, Mr. Kirshner... take your place in Rock~n~Roll Heaven
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