Remembering Russ Regan
• Over the long holiday weekend we were saddened to learn that record industry legend Russ Regan died on Sunday, May 27 at the age of 89. He had been living with his daughter Rachael in Palm Desert, CA.
Over a remarkable music industry career, Regan was responsible for discovering and/or working with superstars Elton John, Neil Diamond, Olivia Newton-John, Barry White, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, to name a just few.
Regan broke into promotion with Motown Records in the 1960s, helping to usher in the era of “The Motown Sound.” He later became GM of Uni Records (where he signed Neil Diamond and Elton John), GM of Loma Records (where, in 1966, he found a song called “That’s Life,” and gave it to Frank Sinatra — it became one of the top selling records of Sinatra’s career). He was also President of 20th Century Records, and later, GM of West Coast Operations for Polygram Records, where he served as the music consultant on successful soundtrack albums for Flashdance, Breakin’, A Chorus Line and The Karate Kid. Regan returned to Motown in 1986 as President of the Creative Division, where he worked on Smokey Robinson’s platinum-selling comeback album, One Heartbeat. He remained with Motown until the company was sold in 1988.
In the mid-’90s, Regan partnered with Canada-based R-Tek Corporation to form the U.S. based Quality Records, which enjoyed a major debut with the signing of a young Fresno-based artist, Timmy T — his debut single, “Time After Time,” sold over 200,000 copies, but his platinum-selling follow-up, “One More Try” became the first single on an independent label to go to No. 1 in nine years. The string of hits continued with A Lighter Shade of Brown, Angelica, South Central Cartel and Dan Hill.
Russ Regan is survived by his first wife Judy, their daughter Rachael and son Marc, and his second wife Sheryl and their son, Daniel. At Russ’ request, there will be no memorial services or benefits to mark his passing, but his indelible legacy will live on.
