Died On This Date (July 14, 2009) Michael Klenfner / Respected Music Industry Executive
themusicsover Michael Klenfner
DOB Unknown – July 14, 2009
Michael Kenfner was a long time record company executive that got his start working for Ahmet Ertegun at Atlantic Records during the ’70s. Throughout his career, he was instrumental in the successes of Laura Branigan, AC/DC, Genesis, Yes, Cher, and in particular, the Blues Brothers, with whom he appeared in the film of the same name. Michael Klenfner died of congestive heart failure at the age of 62.
Neil Bogart is best remembered as co-founder of Casablanca Records, the one time home of such acts as KISS, Angel, Donna Summer, the Village People, Parliament and Cher. Casablanca was one of the labels closely associated with the rise of disco. In the late ’70s, Bogart founded Boardwalk Records which he hoped would be to new wave what Casablanca was to disco. Joan Jett was one of the flagship artists of the label. Bogart died of lymphoma at the age of 39.