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Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Art Fein, Los Angeles rock-scene renaissance man, dead at 79
Art Fein, a Los Angeles music-scene renaissance man who worked as a journalist, publicist, manager and television host over a six-decade career, has died. He was 79. Fein died of heart failure on July 30 while recovering from surgery for a broken hip, according to Cliff Burnstein, co-founder of Q Prime Management and a longtime friend. Arthur David Fein was born June 17, 1946. Growing up in Chicago, he was transfixed by a Chuck Berry concert at age 10 and devoted his life to discovering, championing and preserving rock music. After moving to Los Angeles in 1971 to pursue a career in music journalism, he got a job in Capitol Records' then-nascent college promotion department. There, he befriended John Lennon and Yoko Ono, while coordinating interviews with college radio stations for Ono's latest album, 'Approximately Infinite Universe.' After leaving Capitol, he wrote music reviews for the Los Angeles Times, Herald-Examiner, Billboard and others before being hired as music editor at Variety. 'By the time I got this job, I was sick of the new, aggravating profession of rock criticism,' he recalled in his 2022 memoir 'Rock's in My Head.' 'It was about writers, not the music. I wasn't interested in being terribly critical. I was an advocate. I wanted to help the music along; rock critics wanted to help their sense of superiority.' He returned to the label world with stints at Elektra/Asylum and Casblanca but pivoted to management, incubating a proto-punk scene that would yield influential L.A. acts like the Cramps, the Blasters and the Heaters. A compilation he assembled, 1983's '(Art Fein Presents) The Best of L.A. Rockabilly,' became a bible for bands inspired by X and Social Distortion, which drew from vintage rockabilly but amped it up for the punk age. His public access cable TV show, 'Lil Art's Poker Party,' featured interviews and performances with his favorite musicians and ran in SoCal for 24 years. Rhino Records co-founder Richard Foos recalled that 'for years we had a weekly poker game either at his house or mine. I was there the night [music critic] Lester Bangs was playing. We started the first hand, started talking music, and never played another hand.' In 1990, Fein published 'The L.A. Musical History Tour: A Guide to the Rock and Roll Landmarks of Los Angeles,' a compendium of locations guiding readers to grave sites of stars such as Roy Orbison and Ritchie Valens, and sites where Sam Cooke, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye, Tim Hardin, Dennis Wilson and Darby Crash died. Fein also developed a complicated relationship with producer Phil Spector, to whom Lennon had introduced Fein as the man who 'knows all about music.' Fein became part of Spector's inner circle, even into his deeply troubled years when he was convicted of murdering House of Blues hostess Lana Clarkson. Fein maintained contact with Spector even after he was sentenced to life in prison. The Blasters' lead guitarist Dave Alvin wrote on Facebook that 'Back in the early days of The Blasters, when few outside of Rollin' Rock Records knew or cared who we were, Art cared deeply. In early 1980, I was a wannabe poet working as a fry cook in Long Beach ... Art Fein played 'Marie Marie' to a Welsh rock 'n' roll singer named Shakin' Stevens, who quickly recorded my song and made it into a huge international hit. ... Thanks to Art Fein, I was soon able to quit my job as a cook and pursue music. I can never, ever thank you enough for all you did for me, Art.' Singer-songwriter-guitarist Rosie Flores added that 'back in '94 when I was touring with Butch Hancock in Europe, I took a bad fall, at the end of our month-long tour. I slipped in the rain on a cobblestone street in London and severely broke my wrist. Three months later I was invited to sing at the Elvis [annual birthday] bash at The House of Blues ... It was normal protocol to donate all the money from the proceeds of the show and give it to an organization or a charity. This year, Art surprised me and handed me a stack of money to the tune of $1,500 for my medical bills. I didn't expect that at all [and] it brought tears to my eyes.' In the closing lines of his memoir, Fein wrote that 'I can't say anything terribly pithy or canny about the state of record sales, or streaming, or new delivery systems. Or how YouTube or TikTok are shaping contemporary music.' 'It turns out I didn't want to be in the music business; I wanted to be in the music,' he wrote. 'There I remain.' Fein is survived by daughter Jessie and wife Jennifer.
New York Post
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Country singer Ray Stevens suffers heart attack in Nashville
Ray Stevens is on the mend following a health scare. The country singer, 86, underwent surgery after suffering a heart attack on Friday, July 4. 'Country Music Hall of Fame member Ray Stevens is in recovery after undergoing minimally invasive heart surgery yesterday morning,' a statement posted to Stevens' Instagram account on Tuesday read. 'Last Friday evening, Ray complained of chest pain and was admitted to a Nashville hospital.' 9 Ray Stevens. raystevensmusic/Instagram 'After a heart catheterization procedure, it was determined he'd suffered a mild heart attack,' the statement continued, adding that his 'initial surgery was successful.' However, Stevens' performances at his CabaRay Showroom 'are understandably cancelled' through July 2025 'as he recovers.' Fans took to the comments section to share their support for the Grammy winner. 'Prayers for you from a grateful fan in Georgia. Get well soon!' one fan wrote. A second follower chimed in, 'Please, Get Well Soon.' 9 Ray Stevens performs on stage. Getty Images 9 Ray Stevens performs onstage for The Final Nashville Show – A Tribute To Ronnie Milsap. Getty Images Rounding out the sweet wishes, another social media user gushed, 'Sending much love and prayers for a full recovery.' On Wednesday, a second statement was shared on Stevens' Instagram account, giving his fans an update on his condition. 'Ray is out of ICU and beginning to walk the halls as therapy with a nurse's assistance as he is working towards recovering from this surgery,' the update began. 'Ray is very grateful for all of the cards and get well messages. Everything is Still Beautiful!!!!' 9 Rudy Gatlin, Pam Tillis, Ray Stevens, Deborah Allen and Steve Gatlin. Getty Images In January 2024, Stevens announced a major change in his music career. The artist revealed he would 'stop performing regularly' at his Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom in Nashville by the end of the year. 'I'll be going to work every day in my recording studio and maybe I'll do a few, a very few, shows in some old familiar places,' Stevens shared in a statement at the time. 'I'm definitely slowing down, but I haven't come to a complete stop. Not yet, anyway.' 9 Inductee Ray Stevens performs during the 2022 Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum Concert. Getty Images However, after his December 2024 show, the country superstar decided to continue. On May 17, Stevens returned to the CabaRay Showroom to promote his album 'Say Whut?' which he released in March. His live performances were set to continue through December 2025. Stevens has been a staple in the music industry for multiple decades. He first signed to Capitol Records' Prep Records at just 18 years old in 1957. 9 Rick Hall, Felton Jarvis(producer), Tommy Roe, Ray Stevens, David Briggs, Norbert Putnam and Jerry Carrigan. Getty Images In the 1960s, Stevens relocated to Nashville and began writing songs for Dolly Parton. He also worked with the late Waylon Jennings and Elvis Presley. Stevens won his first Grammy in 1971. He took home the award for Best Contemporary Male Vocalist for his song 'Everything Is Beautiful.' In 1976, he won Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for 'Misty.' 9 Ray Stevens at BBC Television Centre in London, England in June 1974. Redferns Fans will also remember Stevens' comedic tracks, 'Gitarzan' and 'The Streak.' Throughout his career, Stevens has sold more than 40 million albums. He is also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Georgia Music Hall of Fame, and the Christian Music Hall of Fame. Stevens was married to his wife, Penny Jackson Ragsdale, for over 60 years until her death in 2021. The couple shared daughters Suzi and Timi. 9 Ray Stevens backstage at the 17th Grammy Awards. Getty Images 9 Ray Stevens performs live in 1977. Getty Images In 2019, Stevens got candid on opening the CabaRay Showroom. 'I love to perform,' he gushed to Music Row. 'When you are out there in front of an audience regularly, you learn from them. 'I thrive on feedback and can tell by audience reactions what works and what really works. It's all part of the joy of performing, so to answer your question, the show is always evolving.' Stevens noted that his favorite part of CabaRay is the location. 'It's so great to sleep in my own bed every night and not have to fly and mess with all that entails, these days,' he admitted. 'I'm 10 minutes from my house when I leave the stage at the CabaRay and that's really nice!'
