SAL LICATA PASSES

Industry legend and friend Sal Licata passed away on Friday after a brief illness. Kevin Carroll, who worked with Licata at Relativity, shared the sad news with us.

“Sal worked with Bob Krasnow and Tommy LiPuma during the early days of Blue Thumb Records,” Carroll wrote. “He was a founding member of Clive Davis’ original Arista team as EVP/GM, with Richard Palmese and Don Ienner as his promotion executives. Later, Sal was the President of EMI, fostering the successes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Richard Marx, Queensryche and others. After the EMI merger in 1991, Sal moved on, becoming President of RED Distribution and Relativity Records. There he created the most successful indie distribution model in music history and oversaw the career launches of such acts as Train, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Common, 311 and Government Mule.

“I learned a great deal from Sal,” Carroll continued. “His leadership was extraordinary and he mentored many people, and I know the notification of his passing will be appreciated by all those he came in contact with.”