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Business News Obituaries
Frank DiLeo dies
By CMU Editorial | Published on Thursday 25 August 2011
Former Michael Jackson manager Frank DiLeo died yesterday from complications arising from heart surgery, which he underwent in March of this year. He was 63.
Born in 1947 in Pittsburgh, DiLeo began his career in the music industry distributing records to stores in the city shortly after leaving high school in the late 60s. After a number of other jobs in the industry, he was hired to work in sales and promotion for Epic Records in 1968. He then moved to RCA and Bell Records before leaving the music industry and returning to Pittsburgh in the early 70s.
In 1979, he returned to Epic as Vice President of National Promotion, helping the company to more than triple its revenues in only a few years. The company’s biggest success was the 1982 release of ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson, who asked DiLeo to become his manager in 1984.
While managing Jackson, DiLeo orchestrated what was arguably the singer’s most successful period as a solo artist, which included his Pepsi endorsement deal and his feature film, ‘Moonwalker’. However, the relationship ended abruptly and without explanation in 1989. He briefly acted as the singer’s manager again in 2009, prior to Jackson’s death.
DiLeo remained active in management, working with artists such as Taylor Dayne, Jodeci and, briefly, The Jackson in the 90s. More recently, his Nashville-based company, Dileo Entertainment Group had been concentrating on emerging artists, and launched a publishing arm.
As well as working in the music industry, DiLeo also acted in several films in the 90s, most notably playing the character of Tuddy Cicero in ‘Goodfellas’, as well as appearing as record company executive Frankie Sharp in both of the ‘Wayne’s World’ films.
DiLeo is survived by his wife, a son and daughter, and one grandson.
