Bob Krasnow, Former Head Of Elektra, Blue Thumb, Passes At 81

Bob Krasnow

ROBERT A. "BOB" KRASNOW, a veteran record executive and co-founder of the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, died last night at the age of 81.

KRASNOW was credited as bringing ELEKTRA RECORDS back to prominence after taking over as Chairman in 1983. 

Former NONESUCH RECORDS President BOB HURWITZ wrote: "Few people in the music business can be said to have made a profound impact on the destiny of a company. Fewer still could be said to have an impact on two different companies. BOB KRASNOW, who passed away last night, had a profound impact on four different record companies in his career."

Those included BLUE THUMB RECORDS, where KRASNOW signed IKE AND TINA TURNER, the POINTER SISTERS, DAVE MASON and CAPTAIN BEEFHEART; WARNER BROS.., where he served as the head of talent acquisition and "brought the company into the AFRICAN-AMERICAN marketplace for the first time in its history" by signing CHAKA KHAN, GEORGE BENSON, GEORGE CLINTON and PRINCE, and ELEKTRA, where he was brought in as chairman in the early '80s.

At ELEKTRA, KRASNOW revitazlied the roster, singing ANITA BAKER, METALLICA, BJORK, 10,000 MANIACS, THE CURE, TRACY CHAPMAN, THE CARS, SIMPLY RED and TEDDY PENDERGRASS, among others.  Then, at NONESUCH, where KRASNOW hired HURWITZ to take over in 1984.

Added HURWITZ: "in terms of skill-set, I never met anyone who combined a knowledge of A&R, promotion and marketing like he did. Without BOB, there would not be a BLUE THUMB. WARNERS would have been a different company. The experience of ELEKTRA in the '80s and '90s would not have been possible. And NONESUCH... might have stayed a small and interesting budget label. This is what BOB KRAWNOW did."

KRASNOW's early career included working as a promotion man for JAMES BROWN and sales representative for DECCA RECORDS. In the early '60s, he founded MK RECORDS, which released the novelty record "Report To The Nation," a parody of the 1960 presidential campaign between KENNEDY and NIXON.

KRASNOW also ran the KING RECORDS branch office in SAN FRANCISCO from 1958 to 1964 before founding LOMA RECORDS, which he headed from 1964 to 1966. He became VP at KAMA SUTRA RECORDS in LOS ANGELES in 1966, where he founded the BUDDAH RECORDS subsidiary label. He discovered, signed and then produced CAPTAIN BEEFHEART's debut album "Safe As Milk."

He left KAMA SUTRA/BUDDAH in 1968 to create BEVERLY HILLS-based BLUE THUMB RECORDS, with producers DON GRAHAM and TOMMY LiPUMA. Among the acts KRASNOW brought to the label were DAN HICKS AND HIS HOT LICKS, MARC BOLAN, ARTHUR LEE, CLIFTON CHENIER, ALBERT KING and JOHN MAYALL. 

KRASNOW abruptly resigned from ELEKTRA RECORDS in JULY 1994, the result of a bitter internal struggle within the WARNER MUSIC GROUP which also led to the departure of MO OSTIN and LENNY WARONKER. Following his resignation he established KRASNOW ENTERTAINMENT a joint venture with the MCA MUSIC ENTERTAINMEHNT GROUP, with offices at 1755 BROADWAY in Manhattan.

KRASNOW has been a member of the Board Of Directors of NEW YORK CITY CENTER (theater for independent choreography); a member of the Board Of Directors and President's Council of the BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC; co-President of the FRENCH MUSIC OFFICE; national committee member of the MARCH OF DIMES; EVP of the PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY; and a member of the Board Of Directors of the WADLEIGH SCHOOL (NEW YORK).

His honors include being named the T.J. MARTELL FOUNDATION CANCER RESEARCH MAN OF THE YEAR in 1984 and 1989; NORDOFF-ROBBINS MUSIC THERAPY honoree in 1989; and recipient of the ELLIS ISLAND MEDAL OF HONOR in 1992.

He is survived by son MITCHELL and a daughter.

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