LAS VEGAS (CelebrityAccess) — Eight veteran show business managers who have played key roles in the career of some of the biggest artists in modern music, were inducted into the Personal Managers Hall of Fame in ceremonies on Wednesday at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Presented by the National Conference of Personal Managers (Personal Managers Hall of Fame), the Hall of Fame honors the contributions of talent managers to the world of live entertainment.
The Personal Managers Hall of Fame class of 2023 joins the 50 current Hall of Fame members, a list that includes the likes of Sid Bernstein, Bernie Brillstein, Brian Epstein, Ken Kragen, Doc McGhee, Patricia McQueeney, Dolores Robinson, Jack Rollins, and David Sonenberg, among others
“The 2023 inductees reflect the contributions, ethics, and history of personal management that the Hall of Fame acknowledges and honors,” said NCOPM National President Clinton Ford Billups Jr.
The 2023 Hall of Fame inductees are:
Phil Brock is CEO of Studio Talent Group, which for more than 25 years has represented actors for commercials, film, television, and theatre, including Pat Harrington Jr., Richard Moll, and Mary Woronov. Mr. Brock was elected in 2020 as a member of the Santa Monica City Council.
Chris DiPetta is a veteran talent manager, television producer, and owner of Atlanta’s famous comedy club The Punchline. For more than three decades, Chris DiPetta has managed the career of Billy Gardell, actor, comedian, and star of the CBS hit sitcoms “Mike and Molly” and “Bob Hearts Abishola”.
Danny Goldberg has worked in the music business as a personal manager, record company president, publicist, and journalist since the late 1960s. His current management clients include Steve Earle, The Waterboys, and Martha Wainwright.
Vera Goulet for more than three decades managed the career of her late-husband Robert Goulet, an actor, entertainer, and GRAMMY® award-winning recording artist. She continues to keep his legacy alive with his never-released recordings, autobiography, and poetry.
Shirley Grant, with a career spanning more than four decades, guided the careers of The Jonas Brothers, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Christina Ricci, Allison Smith, and JD Roth, as well as Broadway stars Alex Boniello and Michael Lee Brown. (posthumous Inductee)
Susan Joseph is a personal manager, concert promoter, and branding consultant whose clients have sold more than 700 million records worldwide Her clients have included songwriter Diane Warren, actress Nell Carter, platinum recording artist Laura Branigan, and Golden Globe-winning actress Pia Zadora.
George Shapiro was a champion of comedy and guided the careers of Carl Reiner, Andy Kaufman, Peter Bonerz, Marty Feldman, Gabe Kaplan, Robert Wuhl, Bill Persky & Sam Denoff, Austin & Irma Kalish, and Norman Barasch. (Posthumous Inductee)
David Spero is a 1970s rock-radio pioneer, member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Board of Directors, and music manager who has overseen the careers of Bad Company, Dickey Betts, Petula Clark, Billy Bob Thornton, Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens, Survivor, Don Felder, Patty Smyth, Joe Walsh, and many others.
