Jerry Blair

Jerry Blair is a record executive who has been involved a number of top artists and labels for over two decades.

Early music interest

His love of music started early, starting a radio station in camp. While putting himself through Brandeis University he ran the programming board, then while at Boston University School Of Law he worked as a college rep for CBS Records.

Chrysalis and Columbia

Blair headed the West Coast office of Chrysalis Records at the height of the 80s, working with Huey Lewis, Pat Benetar, Billy Idol, Jethro Tull, and Blondie.

He went on to spend the next 11 years at Columbia Records Group, the dominant label in the business throughout the 90s. As Executive Vice President, Blair oversaw the career development of Mariah Carey (the number one selling female artist of all time),^[1] The Fugees, Destiny’s Child, and Jessica Simpson. He directed the campaigns that brought Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Aerosmith’s greatest triumphs.

Arista

Blair moved on to Arista Records, as executive vice president. Under his tutelage, the airwaves exploded with Usher, Outkast, Pink, and Dido. Continuing to push the limits of market crossover, Blair spearheaded the campaign for Ricky Martin, introducing him to an Anglo audience and making Martin a household name. This initiated the Latin crossover explosion, which included Mark Anthony, Shakira, and Jennifer Lopez.

Blair’s foresight served as the catalyst to marketers and advertisers to the booming Hispanic population and their purchasing power in the US. He developed Non Fronteras with Arista and BMG Latin, the first of its kind joint venture between the Anglo and Latin music companies, developing campaigns for Santana and Christian Castro.

Fuerte Group

In 2004 Blair and Rich Isaacson founded The Fuerte Group. The Fuerte Group combines the talents of Hispanic marketers, music marketing agents, radio consultants, special event orgranizers, street team marketers and artist managers. It is a company aimed specifically at targeting the latin music market and lifestyle. The Fuerte Group managed, consulted or worked with artists and clients such as Sise, Cabas, Kat Deluna, Aventura, Thalia, Wise the Gold Pen, Coca-Cola, Western Union and Univision.

Global Entertainment Management

Today, Blair heads Global Entertainment Management, a multi-disciplinary talent management company developing projects for music and online platforms. Currently, the company is working with artists such as Mika (singer), Pras Michel of The Fugees, Ebony Bones!, REKAPSE, Laughing Pizza, Tiffany Giardina, Jayme Gutierrez, and Big Bottom

As of Aug 11 2009 Jerry Blair has started The Perspectiva Record Label in partnership with EMI. This label will focus on contemporary Latin-American Crossover music and media markets. The label will work with current EMI artists as well as with its own artists.

^[2]

References

1. ^ evans2007
2. ^ Evans, Sean (2007-09-04). "Cash & Carey". DailyNews=. refevans2007. http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/rush_molloy/2007/09/04/2007-09-04_cash__carey_mariah_owes_me_sez_former_ma.html=. Retrieved 11 August 2009 =. 

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Name	Blair, Jerry
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