Tessa Watts

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Tessa Watts
Born
Stephanie Siddons

(1945-10-25)25 October 1945
Died13 May 2014(2014-05-13) (aged 68)
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Producer and Record Company Executive
Years active1972–2014
AwardsPalme d'Or

Tessa Watts (born Stephanie Siddons; 25 October 1945 – 13 May 2014)

Madonna, Phil Collins, Beyoncé, INXS, and George Michael.[2] She is best known for her work at Virgin Records, and with MTV
International.

Watts' career started at Virgin Records, where she was one of the original members of the Virgin team. She has been credited as suggesting the company name Virgin – as all the company's members were "virgins" to business.[3]

As press officer at the record company for bands including the

Academy Award winner Nick Park (of Wallace and Gromit fame); the video was Park's first job at Aardman Animations.[7]

In 1986, Watts set up the programming department for the European launch of MTV.

Mike + The Mechanics' acclaimed music video for "The Living Years".[8][9]

In 1989, Watts was named managing director of

Sanctuary Records Group as the director of production. She was recruited by Metropolis Group in 2006 as an executive producer for the company's broadcast production division.[10]

Personal life

Watts divorced rock journalist Michael Watts, formerly of music magazine Melody Maker in 2008, with whom she had a son and a daughter, media executive Sophie Watts. She was a member of the influential Whitney family.[11][12] Following her divorce she moved to near Pau, France. She died of pancreatic cancer on 13 May 2014.[1]

References

  1. ^
    theguardian.com
    .
  2. ^ a b IMDB. "Tessa Watts Filmography". IMDb. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  3. ^ The Independent (24 May 2013). "Forty Years of Virgin". The Independent. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  4. ^ a b Tessa Watts and Nathan Joseph, Nathan Joseph – Renaissance Man.
  5. ^ MTV Video Music Awards (1987). "Video Music Awards". MTV. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  6. ^ MTV. Top Ten Animated Videos Countdown. 28 June 1998. Transcript at "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 May 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ Nick Park at Brit Movie, Nick Park Brit Movie.
  8. ^ Chicago Tribune (12 January 1990). "Grammy Nominations Break With Tradition". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  9. ^ IMDB. "Tessa Watts". IMDb. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  10. ^ "Metropolis strengthens broadcast and digital divisions". Music Week. 6 June 2006. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  11. ^ Melody Maker (February 1978). "Michael Watts reports from the German film set where David Bowie is making Just A Gigolo". Melody Maker. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  12. user-generated source
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