Music industry veteran Michael Leon died on April 2 in Beverly Hills. He was 76. A cause of death was not revealed.
A longtime label executive, who was married to powerhouse publicist Leslee Dart, Leon’s career began at Bell Records, home to albums in the 1960s and 1970s by Al Green, the 5th Dimension and Shirley Jones, whose repertoire was later absorbed by Arista. He went on to join revered independent label A&M Records in 1976, where he would ascend to senior VP and head of East Coast operations.
While at A&M, Leon took on the role of VP of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and was tasked with spearheading the museum’s initial exhibition. Among his credits while at the Rock Hall: championing architect I.M. Pei for the museum contract as well as the city of Cleveland.
A position as head of international at EMI-distributed SBK Records followed, leading to the title at EMI Records Group. All the while, Leon worked with the likes of Suzanne Vega, Joan Armatrading, the Police, Squeeze and Supertramp, among many more. Leon later signed the band Guster, a darling of colleges, in the late 90s as president of Hybrid Records.
Described as having a “gregarious management style and ear for emerging talent,” Leon grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Boston University in 1969. He was based in New York and was an avid world traveler and a skilled athlete with a deep love for his rescue dogs.
He is survived by his wife, Leslee Dart, and his two sons, Adam Leon and Matthew Leon.
