IEBA Announces 2014 Hall Of Fame Inductees And Honorees
IEBA Announces 2014 Hall Of Fame Inductees And Honorees
The Doobie Brothers are first rock act to be inducted into IEBA's Hall of Fame
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 2, 2014) -IEBA (International Entertainment Buyers Association) announces the IEBA Hall of Fame honorees to be inducted at the close of its 44th Annual Conference on September 30. IEBA's Hall of Fame recognizes achievement by elite live entertainment industry professionals. Past classes of inductees included Dick Clark and Lawrence Welk, George Jones and Johnny Cash, Erv Woolsey and Dale Morris.
The class of 2014 includes The Doobie Brothers and their longtime manager Bruce Cohn, veteran manager and agent Jim Halsey, and iconic event producers Bob and Peggy Kaltenbach of Klein's Entertainment. IEBA will also honor Romeo Entertainment Group with its Industry Achievement Award.
The Doobie Brothers have forged an iconic musical legacy that began in 1970, the same year IEBA was founded. In the more than four decades that have passed, The Doobie Brothers have sold more than 48 million albums, won four GRAMMY Awards and built one of music's most loyal fan bases. Their relationship with Nashville royalty continues this fall when some of country music's top stars join them on their forthcoming Sony Music Nashville collaboration album. The record, full of their hits, also reunites them with longtime Doobie Brother Michael McDonald.
"The IEBA Hall of Fame induction is an honor in itself," said Bruce Cohn. "I can't tell you how much more it means to be inducted simultaneously with the band. We have accomplished so much together and will continue to achieve even more in the future. We have a brotherhood that I am proud of, and--even after 44 years together--I think some of the most exciting times are just around the corner."
Jim Halsey founded The Jim Halsey Company talent agency in 1951 and rapidly expanded his business to maintain a roster of over 40 stars. His clients included Tammy Wynette, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, The Oak Ridge Boys, Roy Clark, and many others. The Jim Halsey Company was acquired by the William Morris Agency in 1990 but Halsey remains active in the industry. As an author and educator, he launched The Jim Halsey Institute of Music and Entertainment Business, an undergraduate music business program at Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas.
"There's no question that Jim is one of the most influential figures in the history of country music," says IEBA Hall of Fame member Paul Moore. "It is a privilege to extend this honor to a man who has done so much for our industry."
Just months after Wall Street crashed in 1929, Ohio couple Carl and Margaret Klein set out to bring a little joy to those who had lost so much. From their efforts, Klein's Attractions was born in 1930. For more than 80 years and three generations, Klein's has provided quality entertainment for state and county fairs, expositions, festivals, colleges, casinos, community and corporate events throughout the United States. Just as Carl and Margaret passed their love of the business onto their daughter Peggy and her husband Bob Kaltenbach, Peggy and Bob passed it to their son R.J. and his wife Patty. After Bob's death in 1993, R.J. took the reigns as the company's president and Peggy, though semi-retired, continues to play an active role in day-to-day operations.
"As Klein's Entertainment gets ready to celebrate our 85th anniversary in 2015, I am constantly amazed at the influence my parents have had on our business. It was truly by their vision that our company grew from vaudeville and variety acts to presenting the biggest artists in the industry," says R.J. Kaltenbach. "As the third generation of our family to head the company, I am still inspired daily by their legacy."
Romeo Entertainment Group will receive IEBA's Industry Achievement Award for 2014. Celebrating its 60th anniversary, REG is being recognized for its decades of success as one of the largest independent talent buying agencies and entertainment producers in the entertainment industry. Don Romeo started the company in 1954, being the first to book national talent into fairs. He later joined with Hap Peebles in forming IEBA. The Don Romeo Agency steadily grew as it was passed down to Bob, Don's son. Today, as Romeo Entertainment Group, its client list boasts over 100 names including Country Jam, North Dakota State Fair, Bands in the Backyard, Evergreen State Fair, Grand Falls Casino Resort, and Riverside Casino and Golf Resort. The company remains in the family: Don's daughter Fran Romeo is President, and grandchildren Michelle and R.J. Romeo are Agent and General Counsel, respectively. Michelle also serves on IEBA's Board of Directors.
"During my career, I've had the pleasure of doing business with the Romeos and have firsthand experience representing the artist side of the contract," says Pam Matthews, Executive Director of IEBA. "Everyone in the business knows a Romeo date is always a great date because excellent client service with a personal touch is in the family DNA. Their passion for live entertainment guides everything they do and their experience has taught them how to do everything the right way. That is why after sixty years, REG remains one of the leading independent talent buying agencies."
IEBA will host its 44th Annual Conference on September 27-30, 2014 at the Omni Nashville. Registration is open. For more information, please visit ieba.org or call 615-679-7901. IEBA's Honors and Awards Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, September 30 at 8pm at the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum. This is a free private event for Conference Attendees only.
About IEBA:
International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) is a non-profit trade organization for live entertainment industry professionals. Founded in 1970, IEBA and its annual conference stand alone in the entertainment industry by showcasing the most current and diverse entertainment options for buyers, and providing unparalleled networking and informational opportunities to its members. Representing over $1 billion in buying power, IEBA is an intimate organization that makes a huge impact.
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Media Contact For The Doobie Brothers:
Katharine Richardson
Richlyn Marketing, LLC
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Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2014 | Comments (0) | Permalink