Condolences: Neil Lasher
• UPDATED: On Sunday our industry suffered the irreplaceable loss of longtime music industry executive — and miracle-working substance abuse counselor — Neil Lasher, who died Sunday, April 5 at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, CT from complications due to COVID-19 at the age of 73.
Lasher’s lengthy music industry career includes stints with Chrysalis, Polydor, EMI, SBK, UA and others. He notably spent more than 20 years as an executive with EMI Music Publishing, and more recently served as a consultant to Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
More importantly, to many in our industry, Lasher spent three decades as a certified Interventionist and an alcoholism and substance abuse counselor, consulting the Caron Foundation and helping countless numbers of our peers. As noted by Billboard‘s Melinda Newman, Lasher, who had been in recovery for more than 30 years, played a leading role in establishing the MusiCares Safe Harbor Room (a sober backstage area at the Grammy Awards that is set up every year) since 1997.
A Sunday staff memo from Sony/ATV Chairman & CEO Jon Platt read, “Today, we learned the sad news of the passing of our friend and former colleague, Neil Lasher. I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends, which include so many of us at Sony/ATV. Neil spent more than 20 years as an executive at EMI Music Publishing and Sony/ATV. Beyond his passion for music, Neil found his purpose in helping others. As a specialist in addiction recovery, Neil changed and saved the lives of countless people in the music business and discovered his life’s work. I feel lucky to have known him and call him a friend. My thoughts are with Neil’s family and all of you as we mourn this devastating loss. I will be sure to share information about special tributes for Neil, as it becomes available. Please take care of yourselves and stay safe.”
Industry executive Dick Williams told RAMP, “I’ve known Neil Lasher for close to 50 years. He was a member of my staff at EMI America and we’ve maintained our friendship throughout that entire time. Neil went through a rough patch when he was working with me, but I helped him get through it. He learned a lot through that experience and began to help others with dependency disorders. In fact, I think that was his real mission in life over the past two decades. He was really a man for others and I know he will be sorely missed by all of us who knew him well.”
Naturally, Neil’s Facebook page has become the de facto gathering place for his many friends and colleagues to share their heartfelt — and heartbroken tributes. We are told that there will be a large public memorial service for Neil when the world rights itself. Lasher is survived by his longtime partner, Jill Jordan.
