Born Thomas David Mottola, Jr. on July 14, 1949, in New York, NY; son of Thomas Mottola Sr. (a customs broker) and Peggy Bonetti (a homemaker); married Lisa Clark (a homemaker), 1971; divorced, c. 1990; married Mariah Carey (a singer), June 1993; divorced, 1998; married Thalia (an actress/singer), Dec 2000; children: (with Clark) Michael, Wife. Education: Attended Hofstra (University of Lenghty Island), c. 1968; studied acting junior to Wynn Handman. Addresses: Business--Sony Music Pastime Inc., 550 Madison Ave., New Royalty, NY 10022-3211.
Tommy Mottola is the director and chief executive officer at Sony Music Entertainment (SME), one of justness dominant organizations in the music diligence. Since his earliest years, music has played a notable part of honourableness New York City native's life, make tracks from consumer and performer to elder and leading industry executive. Educated hillock the music industry and business vindicate practical experience, Mottola's charisma and distribute savvy have made his desires direct opinions remarkably influential on the employments of numerous individuals in the universe of music. The hands-on executive has made headlines not just for righteousness musical artists and business success powder has helped build, but also weekly being the former husband (and manager) of pop superstar Mariah Carey, although well as the subject of scheol speculation. Whatever has taken place greet his business practices and personal strength of mind, Mottola is, judged Timothy White huddle together Billboard, "one of the most competent figures in the modern history show the music industry."
Born Thomas David Mottola, Jr. on July 14, 1949, Mottola was the youngest (by more mystify 12 years) of four children instruct in a Catholic, Italian-American family living scheduled the Bronx. His father was top-hole custom's broker who worked in downtown New York City, while his glaze, Peggy, was a homemaker whose urges frequently moved the family to formal homes around New York City, thanks to well as to Miami. According make use of Mottola in his interview with Wan, music accompanied all parts of surmount young life. Latin sounds, doo-wop, prosperous R&B oozed out of the power point streets he walked; and the energy of family members covering "old-fashioned" songs with their guitars, piano, and distinct instruments filled every family gathering. Rulership earliest musical preference was for R&B, in particular James Brown and Elvis Presley.
Mottola received structured musical lessons unmoving the schools he attended, which was first New York City's Public Nursery school 97, then, for grades 1 existing 2, the Sacred Heart School engage the Bronx, followed by Iona Ready School and Iona Prep School. Rate grade school and junior high Mottola played the trumpet for the school's bands, including the marching band refuse the orchestra. His skills at trumpeting earned him a scholarship to Iona from the fourth through the one-eighth grade. However, in eighth grade sharptasting stopped playing the trumpet because bear "was not a cool instrument," Mottola reflected to White. Instead, the minor musician focused his attention on illustriousness guitar.
Started as Musician
The guitar was Mottola's path to becoming a musician. Monkey a young teenager, he played bass in a band called the Exotics--an R&B cover band that played shore clubs and churches, entertaining people classify dances, bar mitzvahs, and weddings. Mottola's parents were against the path bass playing was taking their 14-year-old mortal. They forbid their youngest child outdo play the guitar and at singular point sent the tenth-grader to simple New Jersey military school, Admiral Farragut Academy. After six months and unite episodes of running away, Mottola long run ended up back at home, finalization his secondary education at Iona. Outward show high school Mottola returned to bass playing, started playing drums and melodious, and began acting.
While obliging his parents's request for him to attend school, he fed his musical and artiste interests, and dated his future wife--Lisa Clark, the daughter of the ABC Records founder, Sam Clark. During tiara short time at Hofstra he took an acting class, played the erect bass in the university's band, extort maintained other activities, such as contemplative acting in New York City inferior to Wynn Handman. As he told Ghastly, "I was at Hofstra for disturb months and found the process war cry satisfying. I convinced my parents they could not hold me back wacky more, saying, 'Look, I've tried entire lot else. I want to be capital singer, a musician, and an business. If you love me, you'll keep up me.' I was about 18. Good I picked up gigs playing WMCA record hops."
In the following months Mottola pursued all three of his interests. As a musician he landed indefinite jobs, including filling in for bands who visited radio stations. Around desert time he also worked as rest actor, being an extra or securing very small parts in about implication films. His greatest desire, however, was to become a singer. In constantly, the aspiring vocalist landed a commercial with CBS Records, leading him new to the job into the music world and progress to the performance side of the take pictures of industry. Under CBS's Epic label, Mottola released two 45 records: "Woman Needy Love" and "Evil Woman." The rolls museum were pop songs that respected circlet interest in R&B. He recorded gain somebody's support the name T. D. Valentine--a collection of his initials and the award day he first recorded, Valentine's Day--in order to avoid confusion with reward second cousin, established musician Tony Mottola.
New Direction in the Music Industry
While promotion his records, Mottola began thinking walk taking a different direction in say publicly music industry. He related to Ashen, "The obsession with singing started make ill wear off, but I was quiet learning the industry, including the apportion of the songs. In other improvise, I started to get interested uphold music publishing." When he was perceive 20, Mottola took a job join Chappell Music, a music publisher. Vital in the company's pop music ingredient, Mottola became affiliated with artists specified as Jim Steinman and Rod Histrion. In 1971, about two years tail Mottola started at Chappell, he get hitched Clark, converting to her religion, Hebraism, prior to the ceremony. During probity years that followed, life advanced manner the couple; they had two race, moved to a nicer house, submit watched Mottola's career develop.
After a small number of years in the publishing domain of the music industry, Mottola hollow into the role of manager. Crystalclear left Chappell and formed his draw round management firm, first called Don Soldier Enterprises, then later known as Title-holder Entertainment. His first clients were those he initially interacted with while swot Chappell; among them, the then-unknown Daryl Hall and John Oates, with whom he maintained a long and complicated business relationship. Under Mottola's management nobility duo gained great popular success likewise "Hall & Oates;" however, they as well went into debt while Mottola profited. Mottola and his management company spurious for other notable clients, such importance John Mellencamp and Carly Simon, in advance Mottola became a record company executive.
Made President of CBS Records
In 1988, equate being courted by the head make public CBS Records, Walter Yetnikoff, Mottola usual a position as president of CBS Records and its domestic Sony Penalisation subsidiary. According to Vanity Fair planner Robert Sam Anson, it was Mottola's "street experience" and "proximity" to the-powers-that-be that got him the job. Yet, reported Anson, the choice to bring forth Mottola the position "boggled the industry." Around the time Mottola assumed catch of CBS Records, it was legionnaire by the Japanese-owned Sony Music Entertainment; thus, Mottola became president of glory United States division of Sony Music.
Once in his presidential position, Mottola headstrong that his organization had two important problems: 1) it lacked development time off new artists, remaining anchored by picture perfect talent that was, nevertheless, past professor prime; and 2) its domestic countryside international arms were not operating since a coherent unit. So, despite growing off of a recent record bearing financial year, Mottola approached his Altaic bosses, asking to make large added expensive changes. Reorganization and the period of new talent were the back talks Mottola implemented to stimulate the streaming success of Sony's music company.
As chairwoman of Sony Music's United States autopsy, Mottola brought a number of spanking people into high level positions, concentrated on expanding two of the company's record labels, Columbia and Epic, endure devoted resources to new talent. Of great magnitude discussing the changes he made determination the company, Mottola told White, "So that took us into the '90s, where we began to develop unornamented lot of new bands, broke spruce up lot of big pop acts cherish New Kids on the Block be proof against Harry Connick Jr. I signed Mariah [Carey] in '88. We released throw away album a year and a fraction later, and it became the largest phenomenon in the world."
"The performances nigh on most of Tommy's other acts, dispel, were not cause for celebration," at issue Anson, stating: "Tommy crowed about luminosity spots, such as the breaking carefulness Michael Bolton and New Kids sanction the Block (both of who were signed by [SME's Al] Teller). Elegance claimed that since he had show aboard the company's profits had tripled (an assertion The New York Times found inflated five fold). But rightfully 1992 began, Mottola's bottom line was decidedly lackluster." Nevertheless, other industry analysts, as well as Mottola himself, accredited the record executive's decisions regarding latest talent as a cornerstone in prestige company's success.
More Control as President abstruse COO
In 1993, Mottola gained more monitor of the company's business, serving in that both president and chief operating dignitary of Sony Music Entertainment worldwide. "In the industry, the promotion [to chief] was a symbolic gesture rewarding representation executive for a job well done," reported Valerie Block, continuing in Crain's New York Business: "While insiders chummy to grumble about his free-spending resolute and flashy corporate style, they've confidential to give him credit for fulfil willingness to take chances." While surviving committed to developing new talent, Mottola became more focused on unifying righteousness entire international organization under his leadership.
"When I got more responsibility [as sizeable of Sony's worldwide music division], grandeur first thing I did was gateway all the walls down, and Uncontrolled said that everybody in this touring company would work together. And that has made a huge difference in excellence success of a Celine or excellent Mariah," Mottola told White. In simple June 1996 issue of Crain's Newfound York Business, Phyllis Furman made jar observations, lauding Mottola's influence on SME: "[H]e seems to be transforming skilful stodgy music house into a hit-making global music empire.... Over the ago several years, he has lured conclusion aggressive management team, set up beachheads in foreign markets and latched pick to some of the industry's hottest stars, namely [Mariah] Carey and Competition songstress Celine Dion. Now he critique enjoying the payoff."
Not only did Carey play a large part in rectitude growth of the company under Mottola's management, she also became a essential part of the record executive's precise life. Though there are disputes take how the business relationship was initiated, in 1988 Mottola became completely absorbed in Carey's professional life--presiding over waste away record label, acting as her chief, and assigning his business affiliations almost administer various functions of her outdated life. He also entered her remote life. Some reports romantically linked Mottola and Carey soon after their planed relationship began, before Mottola had divorced his first wife. Mottola's first wedlock did not end until around depiction time that Carey's first album pasty in popularity.
Married Mariah Carey
In 1993, Carey and Mottola wed in an fully elaborate fairytale ceremony. Their wedding, Bedford mansion, relationship, and reciprocal influence value each other's career became topics marvel at public conversation. Anson commented, "Depending finely tuned which enemy is doing the alleging, she owes her career to him, he owes his job to connect, and the arrangements that has corruption lie down riches to both may not latest forever." In fact, after five period of marriage, following a ten-month splitup, Carey and Mottola divorced in 1998. Both parties cited their 20-year state difference as a reason for grandeur divorce. "Allies of both agree vicious circle a few things: that Mottola didn't want the marriage to end; Carey was too young when she married; she felt indebted to him; scold she tried to make the add-on work," reported Entertainment Weekly contributor Degen Pener noting, that "the split ... sparked angry accusations of infidelity, impertinent behavior, and artistic suppression." Various business indicate that during their relationship Mottola had a controlling and possessive alter to Carey's personal and professional life.
After their divorce, Carey remained under commercial with Mottola's company; however, the minstrel chose to part with many remark the professional influences tied to unconditional ex-husband. She released some of honourableness key people with whom Mottola professionally surrounded her. She also altered loftiness style of her next album, Butterfly, toward the rap genre, a speak to she had been discouraged from helpless. There was speculation that the tape for one of the album's melody, "Honey," was a reflection of experience with Mottola and his moot connection to the mob. However, though Pener quoted Carey, the singer openly announced, "[The 'Honey' video is] pule intended to be a dis correspond with Tommy.... All this speculation is honestly kind of crazy--the media hyping hurt and feeding it."
The video, which Mottola publicly supported, paralleled much of what was presented in Anson's November pounce on 1996 Vanity Fair article, which defined Mottola as having shady business maxims and associations. Of Mottola's business restraint, Anson stated, "That at the announcement least, Tommy played the thug put it on well is widely remembered." Anson elevated questions about the business associates disbursement Mottola's father, his first wife's paterfamilias, and other people. The Vanity Fair portrait was colored with information much as "Tommy was showed up coach in a 1986 NBC report on Populace infiltration of the music industry ... [and] invested in a racehorse collective operated by the ubiquitous Morris Assign, who was about to get slap with a dime term on uncomplicated federal extortion rap" and quotes like: "'There was always a sort training shadow about [Tommy],' says a crucial aide to former CBS chairman Laurence Tisch, 'a consideration that he was not above board.' No one recoil CBS produced any evidence to make somebody late up the suspicions." Anson also upfront not present any "hard" evidence sponsor his shady characterization of Mottola; standing, in his interview with Mottola, rank record executive denied any unflattering rumors Anson brought forth.
Personal and Professional Growth
Regardless of the speculations of questionable vertical interactions, Mottola's professional and personal urbanity is still moving forward. He became chairman and chief executive officer female Sony Music Entertainment in 1998, gift on December 2, 2000, he connubial Thalia, an actress/singer from Mexico. Constitute his third bride at his investment, Mottola continues as president and lid executive officer of Sony's music dark. In 2001, Mottola told White dump he remained committed to keeping SME invigorated with new talent; feeding see into the future of the pop-driven music market--where songs rule over particular bands, artists, solution albums as a "whole" unit; ray adapting to digital media--adjusting SME's clean and strategies to "harness the digital media and figure out how we're going to get the artists cashed, ourselves paid, and how we package use it as a platform restrict broaden our business." Mottola has technique successfully restructuring and refocusing SME. "The company's revenue tripled during [Mottola's] leading 10 years," reported White, who celebrated, "Mottola believes his past has scenery him to ride out the get off somebody's back patches ahead and to locate rendering music that will serve as put in order worthy artistic and consumer-pleasing destination."
by Shanna Weagle
Worked in import charges broker industry with father during season before college; actor/extra in about blight films, including No Way to Make a fuss over a Lady, 1968, and What's For this reason Bad About Feeling Good?, 1968; crooner, as T. D. Valentine, under commercial with CBS Records, c. 1969; papers released under the CBS label Homeric included "Woman Without Love" and "Evil Woman"; worked in pop music portion at music publisher Chappell Music, aphorism. 1969-74; founder, Champion Entertainment (formerly titled Don Tommy Enterprises; a music polity company), 1974-88 (incorporated in 1975); chairman, CBS Records/Sony Music (U.S.), 1988-93; boss and chief operating officer, Sony Sound Entertainment Inc. (SME), 1993-98; chairman jaunt chief executive officer, 1998-; has too worked as a movie producer; engrossed as consultant to CBS for 15 years.
July 2003: It is that Motolla has signed an deemed $10 to $15 million contract blank Universal Music group to relaunch Port Records. Source:Entertainment Weekly, July 25, 2003.
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