Remembering Jeff Silberman
• Over the weekend we were extremely saddened to learn of the passing of a friend and a talented former colleague — Jeff Silberman, West Coast News Editor of All Access Music Group for the past 12 years, died Sunday, Oct. 6, due to complications from congestive heart failure. He was 66 years old.
Silberman was born in Chicago, earned his Bachelor’s at Northern Illinois University and his Masters at Southern Illinois University. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his two loves: music and writing, landing numerous freelance gigs with such publications as Music Connection, BAM, L.A. Weekly, L.A. Reader, DIY and Daily Variety.
Jeff’s trade magazine oddyessy began at Hitmakers, and continued at Network 40 and Billboard’s Airplay Monitor. He later returned to the Network Magazine Group as Editor-In-Chief. In 2002, the group was downsized to the MusicBiz.com website, which he edited until it shuttered in 2006. After a year back in his hometown of Chicago as Director of Promotion & Marketing for Victory Records, Silberman returned to Los Angeles and went to work for All Access.
RAMP‘s Kevin Carter fondly recalls his experience of working with Jeff, noting, “Jeff and I started our trade magazine careers the same year — 1990 — both of us working at Hitmakers, where Jeff would entertain me endlessly with his delightfully demented sense of humor… one of his most hilariously inventive creations was his ‘Amish comedian, Jebediah Rickles,’ who would open his show with the line, ‘Take thy wife, I beseech thee.’ Jeff was a great guy, a wonderful office mate and a loving family man. He will be deeply missed.”
Silberman is survived by Barbara, his wife of 32 years, and their son, Will Reilley Silberman,his mother, Elaine and brother, Scott.
In a Sunday Facebook post that is equal parts heartbreaking and eloquent, Will Silberman paid wonderful tribute to his father, saying, “This morning, the world lost an amazing human being. My father, Jeff Silberman, was one of the smartest, funniest, wittiest, kindest, and most amazing humans on this planet. He is part of the reason I am who I am today. Words cannot describe how wonderful my father was. He was my best friend for so many reasons. I owe him so much for being the best father one could ask for. He is the best man I could strive to be. I hope to see you again someday, Dad. I miss you so much. And I’ll do my best to continue making you proud. I love you Jeffy. Rest in peace.” [Special thanks to our friend Joel Denver for graciously sharing Jeff’s bio information]
