Steve Popovich

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Steve Popovich (July 6, 1942 – June 8, 2011) was an

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Bob Dylan, and Meat Loaf.[1] Popovich was involved as co-producer and/or label in six Grammy nominations and winner of two.[2]

Early life

Popovich was born in

Cleveland, Ohio, where by the early 1960s he had become a bass guitarist of a Cleveland-based rock band, the Twilighters,[3] part of a small group of popular local R&B-based bands who launched the area's rock scene in the pre-Beatles era.[1] He was of Croatian, Serbian and Slovenian descent.[4]

Early career: Columbia and Epic

In 1967, he began an

Simon & Garfunkel
. In 1969 Ron Alexenburg, Director of Promotion at Columbia, promoted him to become his assistant.

In 1972, at the age of 30, Popovich was appointed by record executive

Billboard Magazine.[5]

From 1974 to 1976 he worked under Alexenburg as Vice President for A&R at

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Bettye LaVette, George Duke, Doc Severinsen, Joe Tex, Dave Loggins, Charlie Rich and The Soul Children
. Popovich and Alexenburg won the Clive Davis Award for Promotion Excellence.

Cleveland International Records, the Hall of Fame induction and later career

He was founder and president of Cleveland International Records

Miami Steve Van Zandt
.

In 1986 he was Sr. Vice President of Polygram Nashville

Everly Brothers, and special projects like The Class of ’55 Album featuring Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins
.

In 1995, Popovich moved back to Cleveland to re-establish the Cleveland International label.

Grammy as the Best Polka Album
.

When Epic Records, responsible for distribution of Bat Out of Hell was sold by CBS to Sony Music, Popovich successfully sued Sony for not paying royalties and then in 2002 sued them again after Sony had failed to place the Cleveland International logo on reissued copies of the album.[3]

In 1997 Popovich was inducted into the National Cleveland-Style polka Hall of Fame.[2]

Death

In his final years Popovich moved to Tennessee to live near his son Steve Popovich Jr. and his family. He died aged 68 in his home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and was survived by son Steve Jr, daughter Pam and his grandchildren Steven and Tanner. He is buried in Western Reserve Memorial Gardens in Chesterland.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Grzegorek, Vince (2011-06-09). "Steve Popovich, Cleveland Music Legend, Dies at the Age of 68 | Scene and Heard: Scene's News Blog | Cleveland Scene". Clevescene.com. Retrieved 2014-07-17.
  2. ^ a b "Trustees Honor Roll". Clevelandstyle.com. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Steve Popovich, founder of Cleveland International Records, dies at 68". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  4. ^ writer, Jack Hurst, Country music. "STEVE POPOVICH, NASHVILLE MAVERICK, HAS STABLE OF ACTS EVERY BIT". chicagotribune.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b "Steve Popovich - Pittsburgh Music History". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  6. ^ "Ultimate Classic Rock". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  7. ^ "Label Blew Meat Loaf's biggest". Jim Steinman. 2007-02-28. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
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