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Mo Ostin

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Mo Ostin
Born
Morris Meyer Ostrofsky

(1927-03-27)March 27, 1927
New York City,New York,United States[1]
DiedJuly 31, 2022(2022-07-31)(aged 95)
Los Angeles,California,United States
Alma materUCLA
OccupationRecord producer
Spouse
Evelyn Ostin
​
(died 2005)​
Children
  • Michael
  • Kenny
  • Randy

Mo Ostin(bornMorris Meyer Ostrofsky;March 27, 1927 – July 31, 2022) was an Americanrecord executivewho worked for several companies, includingVerve,Reprise Records,Warner Bros. Records,andDreamWorks.He was chairman and chief executive officer of Warner/Reprise from 1972 to 1994, signingthe Kinks,Jimi Hendrix,andVan Halento the label. He was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Famein 2003.

Early life

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Ostin was born Morris Meyer Ostrofsky[2]inNew York City[3]on March 27, 1927.[4][5]His family wasJewish[6]and fled Russia during theRussian Revolution.[3][5]They eventually relocated toLos Angeleswhen Ostin was thirteen and operated a small grocery market close tothe Fairfax Theatre.[5]He attendedFairfax High School,before studying economics at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles(UCLA).[3]He subsequently commenced studies at theUCLA School of Law,but ultimatelydropped outto support his family.[5]

Career

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Ostin began his career in the mid-1950s ascomptrolleratClef Records,a record company started byNorman Granz,brother of friend and neighbor, Irving Granz.[3]The company was soon renamed 'Verve', where he was involved with Jazz At The Philharmonic, a worldwide concert promotion operation that provided a live performance platform for the label's touring stars.[7]Frank Sinatratried and failed to buy Verve, which was eventually sold toMGM Records.Sinatra was reportedly so impressed by the company's artists and the management's style that he formed his own Reprise Records in 1960 and hired Ostin to head it. Three years later, Reprise joined forces with Warner Bros.[5][8]The first rock act Ostin signed to Reprise wasthe Kinks.He signedJimi Hendrixin the spring of 1967 based on hearing "Hey Joe", then was amazed after seeing him perform at theMonterey Pop Festival.[3]

Ostin ultimately spent 31 years at Warner/Reprise from 1963 to 1994,[5][9]serving as its chairman and CEO from 1972 onwards.[4]He oversaw the signing ofPrince,Neil Young,Joni Mitchell,Fleetwood Mac,R.E.M.,Madonna,Paul Simon,Talking Heads,theGrateful Dead,theRed Hot Chili Peppers,Van Halen,the Who,andRandy Newman.[4][5]He was noted for giving artists creative freedom and creating a company geared towards artists, attributing this outlook to his time with Sinatra.[9][5]Ostin later recounted how he trusted Prince to the point where he would only listen to his music once it was completed.[5]Ostin was also instrumental in the acquisition of the independent Elektra label byWarner Communications,as well as the subsequent formation of WEA Corporation and WEA International.[10]Recognized as an industry titan, he served as chairman of theRecording Industry Association of Americafor a two-year term. He left Warner acrimoniously in 1994 after they requested that he slash his payroll, turning down their offer of a three-year extension. He described the situation as "the toughest thing I've ever been through in the business", adding that "it shook [him] to the core".[5]

After departing Warner Bros., Ostin went on to join the music division of the entertainment conglomerate DreamWorks SKG in October 1995.[5][9]In 2003, Ostin was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of FamebyPaul Simon,Neil Young,andLorne Michaels.[8]Three years later, he received The Recording Academy President's Merit Award at the 2006GrammySalute to Industry Icons.[11]

Philanthropy

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A graduate of UCLA, Ostin and his wife Evelyn donated $10 million and played a critical role in establishing the university'sEvelyn and Mo Ostin Music Center,a state-of-the-art campus music facility.[12][13]In March 2015, Ostin donated $10 million to UCLA for theMo Ostin Basketball Center,a state-of-the-art training facility, which was opened in October 2017 and named in his honor.[14][13][15] He also sat on the board of visitors for theUCLA School of the Arts and Architectureand theUCLA Herb Alpert School of Music,and supported theUCLA Center for the Art of Performance.[11]

Personal life

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Ostin was married to Evelyn for 55 years until her death in 2005.[4][9]Together, they had three children, Randy, Kenny, and Michael Ostin.[16][17][18]All three worked as Warner executives.[9]Both Kenny and Randy predeceased him in 2004 and 2013, respectively.[5][9]

Ostin died in his sleep on July 31, 2022, at the age of 95.[10][19]

References

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  1. ^Joanna Rubiner."Mo Ostin Biography".musicianguide.RetrievedApril 14,2022.
  2. ^"Mo Ostin Record company executive".Encyclopedia.2004.
  3. ^abcdeHilburn, Robert (December 11, 1994)."Quotations From Chairman Mo: Mo Ostin lets his artists to do the talking about him and his whole career.Now the record-biz legend steps out of the shadows and takes us on a tour from Ol' Blue Eyes to Red Hot Chili Peppers".Los Angeles Times.
  4. ^abcdSnapes, Laura (August 2, 2022)."Mo Ostin, US record exec who signed Jimi Hendrix and the Kinks, dies aged 95".The Guardian.London.RetrievedAugust 5,2022.
  5. ^abcdefghijklGomez, Melissa (August 1, 2022)."Mo Ostin, executive who transformed Warner Bros. into revered record label, dies at 95".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedAugust 5,2022.
  6. ^Gensler, Andy; Halperin, Shirley (September 23, 2014)."Houses of the Holy: Where the Music Biz Celebrates the Jewish High Holidays".Billboard.
  7. ^Hershorn, Tad (2011).Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice.University of California Press.ISBN978-0-520-26782-4.
  8. ^ab"Mo Ostin | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame".Rockhall.RetrievedJuly 14,2017.
  9. ^abcdefItalie, Hillel (August 2, 2022)."Mo Ostin, longtime Warner records chairman, dies at 95".Associated Press.RetrievedAugust 5,2022.
  10. ^abNewman, Melinda (August 1, 2022)."Mo Ostin, Legendary Warner Bros. Records Chief, Dies at 95".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 5,2022.
  11. ^ab"Mo Ostin '51".alumni.ucla.edu.April 1, 2019.RetrievedApril 14,2022.
  12. ^Boehm, Mike (May 4, 2011)."Record executive Mo Ostin gives $10 million to UCLA for new music center".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedAugust 5,2022.
  13. ^ab"In memoriam: Alumnus Mo Ostin, 95, music industry legend and philanthropist".University of California, Los Angeles. August 2, 2022.RetrievedAugust 5,2022.
  14. ^"The Mo Ostin Basketball Center".uclabasketballfacility.
  15. ^"UCLA Athletics Announces Plans for New Basketball Practice Facility".UCLABruins. May 22, 2014.RetrievedJune 7,2017.
  16. ^Barnes, Mike (September 1, 2013)."Music Exec Randy Ostin Dies at 60".The Hollywood Reporter.
  17. ^"Randall Alan Ostin Obituary".Los Angeles Times.September 1, 2013.
  18. ^Canby, Vincent (April 17, 1987)."Film: A Documentary, Diane Keaton'S 'Heaven'".The New York Times.Mr. King is the only so-called celebrity in the film, if you don't count the celebrity of Victoria Sellers, the daughter of Peter Sellers and Britt Ekland, and of her boyfriend, Kenny Ostin, the son of Mo Ostin, the head of Warner Brothers Records.
  19. ^Chris Morris, "Mo Ostin, longtime Warner Bros. Records chief, dies at 95",Variety,August 1, 2022.Retrieved August 2, 2022
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