PROMO GENEALOGY:
PETER GRAY

In this latest breakout from Lenny Beer's overview of the promotion family tree, we take a look at the backstory of Columbia promo boss Peter Gray.

Columbia’s current gunslinger, after spending years overseeing promo at WB, is the clear product of two promotion dynasties. He started under former indie-promo superstar and avid golfer Lenny Lyons, and then entered the major-label world under the gentlemanly tutelage of Richard Palmese and the legendary Clive Davis. Peter thus learned right away how to (1) build relationships and (2) survive endless detail-oriented label meetings. He’s grasped the tendencies of his competitors and knows which levers need pulling in order to win. Peter spoke at a class I was teaching at UCLA a few years ago and broke down the analytics and strategies necessary to understand where records stand against the competition. His blend of old-school Clive/Richard training and modern-day analytics made it digestible and entertaining to the novices. I had invited him back to teach a class on 4/15; I look forward to its being rescheduled in happier times.

Funny you should ask.