advertisement
FYI

The FYI Bulletin: May 04, 2023

Gordon Lightfoot will be laid to rest in Orillia with a service in the church he grew up attending.

The FYI Bulletin: May 04, 2023

By David Farrell

Gordon Lightfoot will be laid to rest in Orillia with a service in the church he grew up attending.


The public is invited to a visitation on Sunday. A book of condolences will be available at the church and online.

The public is invited to pay their respects at St. Paul's United Church, 62 Peter St., N., Orillia, ON, this coming Sunday, May 7, from 1 to 8 p.m. Memorial donations to the United Way (Simcoe County Area) are appreciated and may be made at the Mundell Funeral Home, 79 West St., N., Orillia, Ontario L3V 5Cl (705 325-2231). Messages of condolence are welcomed as well.

advertisement

– A much-overlooked tribute to Gordon Lightfoot was recorded by the Guess Who in 1968. It appears on the band’s first album, Wheatfield Soul, released in 1969. These Eyes was the first single from the album with Lightfoot on the flip side. YouTuber Joe Boudreault created the following pastiche of photos around the song back in 2017. Enjoy!

–Veteran music agent Stefanie Purificati has joined The Feldman Agency (TFA). In addition to bringing several high-level clients to TFA, her roster of acts such as Digging Roots, Aysanabee, iskwē, and Tynomi Banks will now be repped by the agency. Purificati has over 13+ years of experience as an agent who got her start as the in-house talent buyer at the legendary Drake Hotel.

A leading member of the music industry community, Purificati has sat on the Board of Directors for the Country Music Association of Ontario, worked for the Polaris Music Prize for over a decade, and is a frequent panelist at conferences including Canadian Music Week and Canadian Country Music Week.

This announcement is the latest in a series of recent successes for TFA following the launch of the record-setting sold-out Shania Twain tour and TFA President Jeff Craib’s designation as a 2023 Billboard International Power Player.

advertisement

– Bob Lefsetz had his 70th birthday on April 22 and here’s the celebratory love and hugs to the scribbler that starts with Donnie Osmond, ends with Paul Anka singing Happy Birthday, a cameo from Elton John and in the middle is Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino giving us a laugh. Also making appearances are Bob Ezrin, Daryl Hall, and Irving Azoff.

advertisement
Val Blavatnik
Courtesy WMG

Val Blavatnik

Business News

Val Blavatnik to Oversee Warner Music Canada in New Role at Warner Music Group

Blavatnik will oversee Warner Music Canada as managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at WMG. As part of a slew of executive announcements, Simon Robson will be leaving the company, while Alejandro Duque takes the top international role.

Val Blavatnik, the 28-year-old son of Warner Music Group majority owner and vice chairman Len Blavatnik, has been named managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at the Warner Music Group, the company announced Friday (Sept. 25). In his new role the younger Blavatnik, who has held several roles at the company in recent years, and has been a board member since 2023, expects to “unify and drive business and operational strategy across these markets while guiding the company’s investment strategy to support growth,” according to a press release.

The Blavatnik announcement is part of a flurry of new executive announcements that CEO Robert Kyncl made this morning. In addition, Atlantic Music Group chairman/CEO Elliot Grainge will take on ADA in the U.S. as its new chairman, while Alejandro Duque, who has held the dual roles of president of Warner Latin and president of ADA since last July, has been named president of Warner Music International, adding Asia-Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa under his oversight. (Duque will continue to oversee ADA outside the U.S.) Zach Friedman, currently COO at Atlantic Music Group, will add the title of vice chair of ADA U.S. to his resume.

keep readingShow less
advertisement