By Jim Bessman
It would be hard to find a more worthy recipient of the first Abe Olman Publisher Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Music Industry than Don Kirshner, who Time Magazine called “The Man with the Golden Ear.”
You can start with his extraordinary career in music publishing. He is one of the most important figures in the fabled “Brill Building pop” sound of the 1960s, having founded (with partner Al Nevins) the Aldon Music publishing firm. Headquartered in Manhattan’s Brill Building at 1650 Broadway, it was the home of such now legendary songwriters as Bobby Darin (his first discovery), Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Cynthia Weill, Barry Mann, Carole Bayer Sager, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich.
Kirshner’s songwriting stable was responsible for scores of classic hit songs like “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” “On Broadway,” “The Locomotion,” “Up On The Roof,” “Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Solitaire,” “Laughter In The Rain,” “Dust In The Wind” and BMI’s most-performed song ever, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.” The Drifter’s, the Ronettes, the Crystals, the Righteous Brothers and the Shirelles are but a few of the historic artists forever linked with Kirshner-published songs; of course Sedaka, Diamond and King went on to their own huge success as artists after establishing themselves as songwriters under Kirshner’s tutelage.
Kirshner went on to become the President of Columbia Pictures/Screen Gems T.V., which published the hits of the Monkees and The Archie’s “Sugar Sugar”; his ATV-Kirshner Corporation controlled the North American publishing rights of the Beatles and Lennon-McCartney songs. A movie theater usher as a youngster who cherished films about Gershwin and his musical contemporaries, he also acquired Alan Jay Lerner’s interest in “My Fair Lady,” “Camelot,” “Gigi,” “Brigadoon,” “Paint Your Wagon” and “On A Clear Day.” He was also the publisher and music supervisor of such major television shows as “I Dream Of Jeannie,” “The Flying Nun” and “Bewitched,” and of films like “Born Free,” “To Sir With Love” and “Lawrence of Arabia.”
But publishing was hardly his only area of music business expertise. His “In Concert” series, which ran on ABC television from 1971 to 1983 (and for which the kindly Kirshner is still best remembered by many for his role as host), broke ground by employing radio simulcast—while helping to launch the likes of Santana, Prince, Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Jimmy Buffet, Al Green, Van Morrison, The Bee Gees and Alice Cooper, not to mention comedians including David Letterman, Billy Crystal, Jay Leno, Steve Martin and Gary Shandling (Kirshner also signed Woody Allen to his first album contract). The show also introduced the music video format well before the advent of MTV.
In a recent issue of Billboard, Neil Diamond credited Kirshner with facilitating his move into film and TV. He was also acknowledged at last year’s Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony when Allen Klein received the Abe Olman Publishers Award.
“When I got the call about this award from Irwin Robinson—who was my attorney and now runs the Famous Music Publishing Companies!—it was such a thrill,” says Kirshner, adding that he has similar warm and longterm relationships with so many other Hall of Fame inductees and officials including Hal David, for whom he published such Bacharach-David hits as “The Look of Love.” “I’m honored and grateful—especially because I’m in such good company!”
Kirshner concedes that he went through a period of withdrawal from the music business. “I’d done everything, and there were no more horizons,” he explains. “But now with the Internet and branding, I’m experiencing a rediscovery.”
Indeed, he’s currently looking at a Las Vegas hotel branding proposition as well as a forthcoming Broadway biographical musical and an autobiography. And with the Ronettes’ recent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame along with Van Halen, who was introduced by Kirshner on his national TV show, his past accomplishments have never been more up to date.
“Songs like ‘Lovin’ Feelin’’ are timeless classics, same with those by other Songwriters Hall of Famers like Gershwin and Kern and Berlin,” he says. “It’s a legacy I’m proud to leave for my children and grandchildren.”