'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On Friday, November 25, veteran music executive Charles Koppelman passed away at 82. His son Brian Koppelman and daughter Jenny Hutt shared the news of his passing on social media, but neither mentioned the cause of his death.
The siblings revealed that their father and music legend spent his last days surrounded by his loved ones. Some sources suggested that Koppelman suffered from a long illness before passing away on Friday.
Writing an emotional Instagram post, the late musician's son and Billions showrunner Brian Koppelman said,
"He lived exactly the life he wanted to live. And he spent his last days surrounded by those he loved the most. Pop, thank you."
Koppelman's daughter, Jenny Hutt, also shared,
"With a very heavy heart, we want to share that our beloved father, Pop-Pop, and best friend Charles Koppelman passed away peacefully earlier today surrounded by his entire family. His larger-than-life presence will be with us forever."
Charles Koppelman, veteran music executive and musician, passed away at 82
Born in 1940, Koppelman was an influential figure in the recording business for decades. The legendary executive hailed from Brooklyn, New York, and began his career in the music industry in 1960 as a singer and songwriter.
Initially, he was a part of the musical group The Ivy Three. He later joined the Aldon Music songwriting staff under CEO Don Kirshner, alongside bandmate and future business partner Don Rubin. The new group included artists like Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil.
Koppelman's career moved towards being a music publisher and business executive when Columbia Pictures purchased Aldon Music, and he was promoted to director of Screen Gems/Columbia Music. In 1965, Koppelman joined Don Rubin to start Koppelman/Rubin Associates, with the financial backing of the former's uncle.
Koppelman/Rubin Associates, an entertainment company, started well by signing bands like The Lovin Spoonful and The Little Bits of Sound. Commonwealth United soon bought the company, and Charles Koppelman and Don Rubin remained a part of the same for some years to manage the music subsidiary.
However, in the 1970s, Charles Koppelman moved on to become a part of CBS Records, where he was promoted to VP/GM of worldwide publishing in only a few years' time. He then went on to specialize in the executive role by forming or managing multiple record companies.
In the mid-1970s, Koppelman formed his own entertainment company with another CBS executive, Martin Bandier, and New York real estate developer Samuel LeFrak, Bandier's father-in-law. The company went on to manage the likes of Barbra Streisand, Dolly Parton, the Four Tops, and Cher.
Later in his career, Charles Koppelman formed SBK Entertainment World, Inc., which was sold to EMI Music for $300 million. His work with SBK was nothing short of legendary as, at one point, it was the world's largest independent music publisher with over 250k titles (previously owned by CBS Songs).
Charles Koppelman also served as EMI Record's Chairman and CEO after he and Bandier sold their share of SBK Records to EMI Music. Emerging as an influential figure, Koppelman held executive positions at EMI as well as Steve Madden. He also served as Chairman of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
At the time of his death, Koppelman was the CEO of CAK Entertainment.
