Born in 1987 in Sherman Oaks, California, Maxie pursued her passion for the arts by earning a BA in Theatre from the University of Southern California. After graduation, she began her career in film and television casting while dedicating time to One Billion Rising, a nonprofit organization committed to ending violence against women and those facing gender-based violence. Solters also showcased her talents on stage and screen, including creating, producing, and starring in her own web series.

In 2012, she followed in the footsteps of her father, Larry Solters, and late grandfather, Lee Solters, becoming the third generation in her family to enter the field of public relations. Lee handled acts such as Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand. Her father’s company, Scoop Marketing, represents the Eagles, Irving Azoff and more.

Maxie joined Scoop in 2012 and represented high-profile clients such as the Kia Forum, the Hollywood Bowl, and Music Forward. Beyond her work in PR, Solters was deeply involved in V-Day International and other women’s rights initiatives.

Maxie is survived by her father, Larry, and his partner, Carol Greenhut; her mother, Debra Graff; her aunt, Susan Reynolds; her cousin, Jonah Reynolds; her longtime partner, Dim Dobrin; and her cherished dog, Pookie.

A celebration of Maxie’s life is being organized. In place of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her name to One Billion Rising.

RIP.

The post Writer, Actor And Beloved Publicist Maxie Solters Dies At 37 appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Born September 7, 1974, in Miami Beach, Florida, Epstein showed an early passion for the performing arts, starring in school productions like The Wiz and Jesus Christ Superstar at Miami Country Day School. He pursued his academic interests in politics at New York University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science. While at NYU, he interned for congressman Peter Deutsch, senator Bob Graham, and mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Epstein’s Broadway career began as an intern and casting assistant. In 1997, he worked as a production associate for The Life, a musical that received multiple Tony nominations. His breakthrough came just a year later when, at 28, he co-produced Hairspray. The show was a major hit, earning 13 Tony nominations and winning eight awards, including Best Musical.

Choreographer Jerry Mitchell recalled, “Epstein was the youngest producer I had ever worked with when we met on Hairspray. I will always be grateful for his support, encouragement, and care for all of us.”

In a 2003 interview with Roll Call, Epstein said of Hairspray, “It hits a chord. Its themes of diversity, acceptance, and a celebration of the fact that anyone can overcome and win is so resonately American, and I think that’s hitting home in a post-9/11 world.” That same year, he hosted a fundraiser for Senator John Edwards’ presidential campaign, raising around $130,000.

Over the next decade, Epstein produced several successful Broadway shows, including revivals of A View from the Bridge, Amadeus, and The Crucible. He also produced the musicals The Wedding Singer and Cry-Baby, both of which received Tony nominations.

Beyond Broadway, Epstein was known for his political commentary, including work as a Fox News pundit. He also hosted the podcast Dirty Moderate with Adam Epstein until his health declined.

Epstein is survived by his parents, Bonnie Cypen Epstein and Dr. Marc Epstein; his siblings, Brett and Logan Epstein; and his nieces and nephew.

A memorial service will be held at Levitt-Weinstein-Blasberg-Rubin-Zilbert Memorial Chapel in North Miami Beach, followed by interment at Mt. Nebo/Miami. In place of flowers, donations can be made to Dr. Timothy Cloughesy’s Glioblastoma Multiforme research fund at UCLA.

Reflecting on their time together, John Waters said, “Together, Epstein and I had a hit, Hairspray, and a flop, Cry-Baby, and his enthusiasm for each was exactly the same. A cheerleader for his productions like no other.”

R”P.

The post Tony-Winning Broadway Producer, Adam Epstein Dead At 49 appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

His passing was announced on his official webpage: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Greg Kihn, an iconic figure in the realm of rock music. Greg lost his battle with Alzheimer’s disease on 8/13/24.”

Born and raised in Baltimore, Kihn launched his music career in his hometown, initially following the singer-songwriter mold. In 1974, he relocated to the West Coast and refocused on rock.

While working at San Francisco’s Rather Ripped Records, he met future bandmate Gary Phillips and became one of the first artists to sign with Matthew King Kaufman’s Beserkley Records.

Kihn recorded a successful string of hits in the 1980s, including “Jeopardy,” “The Breakup Song,” “Remember,” and “Lucky.”

In addition to his music career, Kihn spent almost two decades as a radio personality at the famed Los Angeles station KFOX. He also worked as a syndicated nighttime radio host heard across the U.S.

Kihn was also a successful author, with six published novels and numerous short stories to his name. He was known for his hobby of breeding rare praying mantises, as noted in an obituary published on his official website.

Kihn was dedicated to charitable causes and helped raise money for Operation Care and Comfort, a support network for veterans, among other organizations.

He is survived by his wife, Jay Arafiles-Kihn, along with a son, a daughter, several grandchildren, and other family members.

A private memorial celebration of his life and legacy will be held with friends and family. A public celebration of life concert for fans and fellow musicians will be announced in the near future.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Greg Kihn’s name to The Alzheimer’s Association to help end Alzheimer’s disease.

The post Rocker Greg Kihn, Dead At 75 appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

According to the Seattle Times, a family friend reported that Cross died at his home in Shoreline, Washington, over the weekend.

“We are sorry to share that Charles Cross has passed,” his family said in a statement provided to Variety. “He died peacefully of natural causes in his sleep on August 9, 2024. We are all grief-stricken and trying to get through this difficult process of dealing with the next steps.”

Cross first made a name for himself as the longtime editor of the Seattle-based independent music magazine The Rocket, assuming the role in 1986 and building a reputation for the magazine’s coverage of the burgeoning Northwest metal scene, spotlighting acts such as Soundgarden and Nirvana before they reached national fame.

He sold the magazine in 1995 and focused on his biographies, which included works on Heart, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain, which was recognized with an ASCAP Award for Outstanding Musical Biography in 2002.

Cross was also the founder of the Bruce Springsteen fanzine, Backstreets Magazine and was a freelancer for the Seattle Times.

The post Music Journalist And Biographer Charles R. Cross, Dead At 67 appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Troper wrote, “It is with profound sadness that I share the news of Susan Wojcicki’s passing. My beloved wife of 26 years and mother to our five children left us today after 2 years of living with non-small cell lung cancer. Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life but a brilliant mind, a loving mother, and a dear friend to many. Her impact on our family and the world was immeasurable. We are heartbroken but grateful for the time we had with her. Please keep our family in your thoughts as we navigate this difficult time.”

Wojcicki was born in Santa Clara, California, on July 5, 1968. Her father, Stanley Wojcicki, was a physics professor at Stanford and her mother, Esther Wojcicki, was a teacher. She graduated from Harvard in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in history and literature before earning a master’s in economics at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1993. She received an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management in 1998. Wojcicki married Troper, who currently works at Google as a director of product management, on Aug. 23, 1998.

Wojcicki joined Google in 1999 as one of the company’s first 20 employees and played a crucial role in the company’s billion-dollar acquisition of YouTube in 2006. She became YouTube’s CEO in 2014, overseeing the platform’s massive global expansion, including the introduction of YouTube TV and the development of Google’s image search.

Under her leadership, YouTube landed licensing deals within the music industry and successfully launched YouTube Music and YouTube Premium in 2018. Universal Music Group’s (UMG) Sir Lucian Grainge personally congratulated Wojcicki when YouTube Music reached 50 million subscribers in 2021.

Wojcicki worked closely with Robert Kyncl, now CEO of Warner Music Group, and played a crucial role in bringing Lyor Cohen on board as Global Head of Music at YouTube in 2016. Today, YouTube Music and YouTube Premium have over 100 million paying subscribers globally, making YouTube the second-largest commercial partner of music rightsholders. YouTube aspires to become the No.1 partner in the industry.

Tributes poured in from around the industry. You can read some below.

Melinda Gates via X: “Susan Wojcicki broke the mold. She was a visionary leader who intentionally pried open doors for the many young women who have followed her footsteps – and she remains a role model for people of all backgrounds who dream of careers in tech as meaningful and impactful as hers.”

 Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet: “Unbelievably saddened by the loss of my dear friend @SusanWojcicki after two years of living with cancer. She is as core to the history of Google as anyone, and it’s hard to imagine the world without her. She was an incredible person, leader and friend who had a tremendous impact on the world, and I’m one of countless Googlers who is better for knowing her. We will miss her dearly. Our thoughts with her family. RIP Susan.”

Wojcicki is preceded in death by her son Marco. She leaves behind her husband and four children.

RIP.

The post Former YouTube CEO And Google Exec Susan Wojcicki Dead At 56 appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

His passing was commented on by his longtime client, bandleader Paul Shaffer who took to social media to share: “I lost a dear friend. My long-time manager, Eric Gardner, passed away at his home outside of Los Angeles. He has represented me since 1990, and was everything one might have hoped his manager would be- smart, beautifully spoken, could represent me in any area in which I wanted to dabble, his counsel always wise and true.”

Gardner founded Panacea Entertainment in 1970 while he was still a graduate student at Columbia University, coordinating tours for clients such as Jefferson Airplane and Kiss.

“Back then there wasn’t personal management,” Gardner said. “In rock ‘n’ roll, it was your next-door neighbor, your friend’s brother or drug dealer. That worked in my favor. When I got into it, nobody could contradict me that I was doing something wrong,” Gardner told NCOPM’s Clinton Billups during a 2018 interview.

In 1974, the company transitioned to artist management, developing a client roster that included the likes of Bill Wyman, Timothy Leary, Todd Rundgren, The Stray Cats, Jefferson Starship, Blue Oyster Cult, and Bettye LaVette, among others.

In the 1980s, Panacea relocated from New York to Los Angeles and expanded its scope to include film and television after signing television personality Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

Gardner was inducted into the Personal Manager’s Hall of Fame in 2017.

The post Veteran Talent Manager Eric Gardner Dies appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Phillipps’ passing was shared by the band on social media who stated that he died unexpectedly. USA Today reported that he died of natural causes but has been suffering from “severe health issues” in recent years.

Phillipps launched the Chills in 1980, forming the band with his sister and keyboardist Rachel Phillips, guitarist Peter Gutteridge, bassist Jane Dodd, and drummer Alan Haig.

After several false starts and lineup changes, the group released their debut LP Brave Words in 1987 but didn’t achieve their first major chart success until 1990 with the release of Submarine Bells, which reached number 1 in New Zealand.

Despite their chart success, the band continued to dissolve and reform through the 1990s with Phillipps remaining one of the few constants in the lineup.

Along with The Chills, Phillipps performed with groups such as Pop Art Toasters, Clean and the the Heavy Eights, among others.

Phillipps was the focus of the 2019 documentary “The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps.”

According to a statement from The Chills, a funeral service for Phillipps will be held on August 2nd in Dunedin, followed by a private cremation. The funeral will be livestreamed with the details to be announced in the coming days.

The post The Chills Frontman Martin Phillipps, Dead At 61 appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark, and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler were en route to the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska when the crash occurred, according to a statement from Gaither Management Group on Saturday (July 27). The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that the crash took place near Recluse, Wyoming, a northeastern community in the state.

Kelly and Jason’s other daughter, Autumn Nelon Streetman, was not on the plane. She released a brief statement expressing gratitude for the “prayers that have been extended already to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, as well as Jason’s parents, Dan and Linda Clark.” Streetman added, “We appreciate your continued prayers, love, and support as we navigate the coming days.”

The group’s last Instagram post was on Friday (July 26), documenting a pit stop in Nebraska. Jason said, “Gaither Homecoming Alaskan cruise. We are on our way,” while showing the rest of the group.

Also killed in the crash were Amber’s husband, Nathan Kistler; Melodi Hodges, an assistant; and pilot Larry Haynie and his wife, Melissa.

The cause of the crash is not yet clear. The NTSB said preliminary information indicates that a Pilatus PC-12/47E, a single-engine turboprop, “impacted terrain following a reported autopilot issue during flight.” The investigation is in its early stages, with a team being sent to the crash site to begin examining the aircraft.

Haynie was a chairman of the Georgia Department of Corrections Board. The department said Haynie and his wife were “devoted to one another, to their grandchildren and family” and “staunch supporters of the GDC family.” Gov. Brian Kemp expressed his sorrow over the deaths, saying, “As chairman of the Georgia Department of Corrections Board and through a career of valued service in public safety, Larry’s impact on our state will not be forgotten.” Kemp asked for prayers for the families and communities affected by the accident.

The Nelons have recorded over 35 albums and achieved more than 20 Top 5 Southern Gospel radio singles, including “Thanks,” “Come Morning,” “We Shall Wear a Robe and Crown,” and “O for a Thousand Tongues.” They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2016.

Throughout their career, the four-person group received a Grammy nomination for Best Southern gospel album in 1991 and 35 GMA Dove Award nominations. They most recently won a Dove Award for country/bluegrass/roots recorded song of the year in 2021 for “If God Pulled Back the Curtain.”

RIP.

The post Three Members of Hall Of Fame Gospel Group, The Nelons Among Seven Killed In Plane Crash appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

His passing was announced by SJM Concerts on Thursday, July 25th. Additional information about a cause of death was not disclosed.

York was part of the SJM Concerts team for more than 30 years, first joining the company in 1993 and rising to the rank of director at the company while establishing a reputation as one of the UK’s leading concert promoters.

During his tenure, he worked with some of the biggest names in music, from the Foo Fighters and Oasis to Massive Attack and the Chemical Bros.

He began his career at the Venue Nightclub in New Cross before signing on with several concert promoters, including Straight Music with John Curd and MCP Concerts with Tim Parson before joining SJM in 1993.

While at SJM, York helped to establish the Country to Country (C2C) music festival, which helped to raise the profile of numerous country artists in the UK. In 2021 was recognized for his efforts on behalf of country music with the prestigious Jo Walker Meador International Award by the Country Music Association.

In 2022, York was presented with the annual Bottle Award Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Live Music Conference.

Information regarding a memorial service for York was not announced.

The post SJM Concerts’ Chris York Dead At 55 appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

His family announced his passing in a statement, mentioning that he died peacefully at home, although the cause of death was not disclosed.

Mayall is best known as the founder and sole constant member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, the British blues-rock band that released over 70 albums, including 35 studio albums and 34 live albums, while fostering the careers of some of the biggest names in rock.

Over the years, the Bluesbreakers lineup included artists such as Eric Clapton, future Fleetwood Mac members John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, and Peter Green, future Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, and Jack Bruce, who later became the bassist and lead vocalist for Cream.

Born in Cheshire in 1933, Mayall served in Korea before attending Manchester College of Art, where he studied art design. While still in school, he played in local bands before deciding to pursue a career in music.

Mayall founded the Bluesbreakers in 1963 and performed in London clubs until 1965 when Eric Clapton, fresh from a split with the Yardbirds, joined as guitarist.

In the 1970s, Mayall moved to the U.S. and began producing records for other blues artists, including Albert Collins, Shakey Jake Harris, and Buddy Guy, among others.

To mark the 40th anniversary of his career, Mayall assembled some of the biggest names in blues and rock, such as Gary Moore, Steve Miller, Johnny Lang, Otis Rush, Billy Gibbons, Jeff Healey, and Steve Cropper, for “Along for the Ride,” an anniversary album released in 2001.

He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2016 and was scheduled to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a Musical Influence in October.

Mayall is survived by his six children — Gaz, Jason, Red, Ben, Zak, and Samson — seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and his ex-wife Maggie Mayall, who guided the latter part of his career.

In a 2014 interview with The Guardian, Mayall shared his thoughts on what the blues meant to him, stating, “[Blues] is about — and it’s always been about — that raw honesty with which [it expresses] our experiences in life, something which all comes together in this music, in the words as well. Something that is connected to us, common to our experiences.”

He closed the interview by noting, “To be honest, I don’t think anyone really knows exactly what it is. I just can’t stop playing it.”

The post British Blues-Rock Legend John Mayall, Dead At 90 appeared first on CelebrityAccess.