After over 40 years in the entertainment business, spending 25 of them representing Concord in an external or internal capacity, Larry Blake has announced his decision to retire at the end of May.
Having transitioned last summer to focus on Concord’s Recorded Music business, Blake will be handing the reins to Gregg Goldman as Concord’s new EVP, Business & Legal Affairs, Recorded Music, reporting to General Counsel Amanda Molter.
Blake joined Concord Music Group in 2005 as the label group’s SVP, Legal & Business Affairs, after serving as the company’s outside counsel for 10 years.
As Concord expanded, he took on the role of Chief Legal and Business Affairs Officer, supervising all legal and business affairs of the company as well as overseeing its royalties department.
He has guided numerous acquisitions for Concord, including that of Fantasy, Telarc, Rounder, Vee Jay, Vanguard, Fearless, Razor & Tie / KIDZ BOP, Musart/Balboa, Savoy, Varèse Sarabande and Imagem, all while negotiating Concord’s worldwide licensing and distribution agreements with Universal Music Group, overseeing its recording contracts with its artists and managing litigation and royalty audits.
Before joining Concord full time, Blake was a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, where his clients included the Eagles, Cher, the Pixies, Barbra Streisand and the Rolling Stones, Sub Pop Records and Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).
In succeeding Blake, Goldman will work with Chief Label Executive Tom Whalley and Chief Catalog Executive Sig Sigworth to support the continued growth of the Concord front line labels and catalog, through new artist signings, acquisitions and historical rights.
Goldman started his professional career as a litigation attorney with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and previously spent 14 years in Business Affairs and Business Development at Sony Music Group and Warner Music Group.
He also led Business Development at Seattle’s music-focused Museum of Pop Culture for several years, and most recently helped to build and then manage a music team within Ticketmaster.
“It has been my great fortune to have been able to combine my legal education with my passion for music, to have been mentored by one of the deans of music lawyers, Lee Phillips, and to have gotten the opportunity to help build Concord from a small jazz label to the indie powerhouse it is today.”
Larry Blake
Blake said: “It has been my great fortune to have been able to combine my legal education with my passion for music, to have been mentored by one of the deans of music lawyers, Lee Phillips, and to have gotten the opportunity to help build Concord from a small jazz label to the indie powerhouse it is today.
“As much as I have loved working with the great team of people built under the leadership of Scott Pascucci and Glen Barros before him, it’s now time for me to turn my focus to my wife and family, and with Gregg Goldman on board, I can do so guilt free, knowing that Concord has found the ideal person to replace me.”
“It has been an honor to work with Larry and learn from one of the best in the business.”
Amanda Molter, Concord
Concord General Counsel Amanda Molter, added: “It has been an honor to work with Larry and learn from one of the best in the business.
“His retirement has been well-earned, and we cannot thank him enough for the hard work that he has devoted to Concord and its artists over the last two and a half decades.
“At the same time, I am so pleased that Gregg Goldman has joined the Business & Legal Affairs team as EVP for Recorded Music.
“Gregg will be working closely with Larry in the coming months and I am confident the transition will be a smooth one.”
“I have had great pleasure working with Larry Blake over the past years.”
Tom Whalley
Whalley said: “I have had great pleasure working with Larry Blake over the past years.
“I have immense respect for his contribution in building Concord into the unique and important media company it is today.
“I wish him the very best in his future life endeavors. I am impressed with Gregg Goldman’s background, which makes him a perfect fit to represent Concord Recorded Music. I look forward to building the future of Concord Recorded Music with Gregg’s help.”
“Larry Blake’s wisdom, knowledge and guidance has been invaluable to the success of Concord’s Recorded Music division, and we wish him great enjoyment in his retirement.”
Sig Sigworth
Sigworth said: “Larry Blake’s wisdom, knowledge and guidance has been invaluable to the success of Concord’s Recorded Music division, and we wish him great enjoyment in his retirement.
“Having worked with Gregg Goldman in the past, I know that his experience and passion will serve us very well, long into the future.”
“I’m thrilled to join the team Scott has built at Concord, and I look forward to working closely with Tom, Sig and Amanda to help grow and support the business and build upon the foundation Larry has done such a great job of establishing.”
Gregg Goldman
Goldman said: “I’m thrilled to join the team Scott has built at Concord, and I look forward to working closely with Tom, Sig and Amanda to help grow and support the business and build upon the foundation Larry has done such a great job of establishing.”Music Business Worldwide