BILL CARROLL,
1963-2022

Tributes are pouring in for longtime promotion executive Bill Carroll, who died in his sleep on 7/2 at the age of 59.

"Billy’s wit and infectious humor were second to none, but his authenticity was his greatest gift,” said Dave Barbis of C3 Management, where Carroll was SVP of Promotion. The two had previously worked together at Capitol Music Group. “He cared deeply for his artists, music and of course his many friends. He was as giving and considerate a person as you would ever meet.”

Carroll joined C3 in New York in 2015, more than two decades after he got his start as a local rep for Polygram in Boston in the late 1980s. That led to a national promo job for the label. In 1991 he joined London Records, rising to VP of Promotion in 1997.

After a stint at Vagrant Records, where he promoted acts such as Dashboard Confessional and Alkaline Trio, he was named Vice President of Modern Rock Promotion at Elektra Records in 2003. By the end of the decade he was SVP at Virgin/Capitol.

“Bill was the most generous, selfless person I've ever met, and so many people, his family, artists, coworkers and myself, are better off for having him in our lives,” said Howard Petruziello, Head of Promotion at Red Light Management/ATO.

Greg Thompson, president/partner at Big Loud, who worked with Carroll at Elektra and Capitol Music Group, posted this on Facebook: "There are no words to express the sadness in my soul. The music biz lost a giant and I lost a brother and a friend. Bill Carroll was one of a kind... and if you were lucky enough to call him a friend then you know what I mean... Rest in peace, Bill."

HITS’ Ted Volk knew Carroll from the early days of their careers. “I will forever be grateful for having known Bill,” he said. “We were locals in Boston at the same time—a long, long time ago—and we had countless conversations over the years helping each other out, trying to navigate the trials and tribulations of a job that often doesn’t make a lot of sense. He will always be remembered as a special person who touched so many and we were all lucky to know him.”

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s name may be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the ASPCA or Roscoe Shepherd's Pantry/Food Distribution Center in Roscoe, N.Y.