Allen Klein
December 18, 1931 – July 4, 2009
Allen Klein was a record company executive and powerful artist manager during the 1960s. Known as a ruthless businessman, many artists benefited from his abilities to get them better record deals and higher royalties. His client list included Bobby Darin, Herman’s Hermits, Sam Cooke, and most famously, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. His relationships with the Rolling Stones and the Beatles would eventually sour, ending in lawsuits. Some Beatles fans reportedly blamed tensions caused by Allen for driving the band apart. Allen Klein died after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease at the age of 77.
Whatever one thinks of Klein, it’s sad to learn that he suffered from dementia in his later years. In his heyday, he had one of the sharpest minds around. Someone who successfully negotiated the Beatle’s last deal with EMI is certainly no dummy.