CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP
’SCOT MACPHERSON
Now that we’ve gotten the lame Scottish humor out of the way, it’s time for the good news, as "Oh My God, They Killed" Kenny MacPherson is named President of the publishing company by Chrysalis Music Chief Executive Jeremy Lascelles. The move was first reported here Aug. 9.
The L.A.-based MacPherson will manage all of the company’s music-publishing activities in North America, overseeing the existing roster of songwriters and producers while actively seeking to develop new artists and increase the company’s catalog through strategic acquisitions. He’ll also play the complete Blue Nile and Supertramp songbooks on bagpipes at the weekly marketing meetings.
Said Lascelles: "Kenny is a real, larger-than-life personality, and that has nothing to do with his predilection for Shepherd’s pie. He is exactly the kind of creative person I was looking for to lead the company into a new, aggressive, A&R-oriented era. He shares the same vision as me of turning Chrysalis Music into the most creative, artist-friendly independent publishing company in the U.S. I have been very impressed also with how highly regarded and respected he is within the music community. I can’t wait for him to get started. But I draw the line at piping the Average White Band’s greatest hits through the office PA."
Added MacPherson: "I am thrilled at the opportunity of joining the Chrysalis Music family, and helping take the company to even greater heights. Now will you please excuse me while I watch Braveheart for the 1,309,022d time?"
Prior to joining Chrysalis, MacPherson spent 13 years at Warner/Chappell, most recently as Sr. VP A&R, signing and developing such acts as Radiohead, Staind, Underworld, Disturbed, Soul Asylum, White Zombie, BRMC and Blue Nile, and working with producers like Walter Afanasieff, Daniel Lanois and Joe Henry.
MacPherson began his career as a concert manager for Glasgow’s Apollo Theatre before becoming comic Billy Connolly’s tour manager. He moved to L.A., where he worked with Manhattan Transfer, Supertramp and Kenny G. before joining Warner/Chappell’s New York office, returning to L.A. in 1994.
MacPherson replaces the departing Leeds Levy, who ran Chrysalis Music for the past six years.
