Born in 1944, Summers enrolled in army faculty at age 12 and joined the military three years later.
Advertisement
One of the all-time music business greats, Jazz Summers, died final night time following an extended sickness. “His ability to hear a song and recognize its power and potential brought him huge success across several decades”.
The artists under Summers’ management sold more than 60 million albums and 72 million singles in global sales, said his company, as well as making more than 100 Top 40 singles. Summers was crucial in breaking the band in America and established a reputation as an expert in the American market.
Tributes from the music world poured on to Twitter.
Legendary artist manager Jazz Summers, whose client roster included Wham! In 2003, he won the Peter Grant Award, and the Strat Award at the Music Week Awards in 2007. He also served as chairman the Music Managers’ Forum and was vocal in such artist-related issues as the extension of copyright, secondary ticketing and VPL. The Orchard’s Chris Duncan called him “a fierce competitor and character who fought for his artists”, according to Music Week. He was a formidable force of nature!
A spokesman for Big Life Management said Summers was one of the industry’s “most vibrant, most notorious” personalities.
Former Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe added: “We’ve lost a good friend”. He believed in Snow Patrol when few did & was a huge reason for our success. “Bye bye Jazz. Gonna miss you”. “Jazz was a one-off – they broke the mould after his creation”.
Advertisement
Jazz is survived by his wife Dianna, his daughters Katie, Rio and Georgia, his granddaughters Claire, Lila and Rose and his brother Don.
