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Richard Klotzman is a concert promoter.
Career
It was in the late 1950s, at the age of 13½ that Klotzman started his career, beginning as a DJ for radio, record hops and Bar Mitzvahs.
Later Klotzman promoted and produced concerts for various artists. His client list includes T.I., Elvis Presley, Paul Anka, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, The Eagles, Neil Diamond, Tom Jones, Liza Minnelli, The Jacksons, Madonna, Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass, Alice Cooper, Earth, Wind & Fire, Diana Ross, Seals and Crofts, Stevie Wonder, Cream, Prince, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, Public Enemy.
Klotzman was an innovator and utilized arenas formerly exclusively used for sports events, as concert halls for musical performers. He developed a network of exclusive venue representation. Klotzman produced over 25,000 live entertainment events over 50 years. Now Klotzman heads the multimedia production and promotion consulting firm, Dick Klotzman Presents. He works as a consultant in the entertainment industry.
Litigation
In 1987 Klotzman was convicted of tax evasion, and sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. This conviction was for an action begun by the IRS in 1975. Assistant U.S. Attorney Herbert Better said Klotzman bilked two promoters in Anchorage, Alaska, of a $200,000 deposit in March 1985 during rock star Prince's Purple Rain Tour. Using an assumed name, Klotzman promised to set up a Prince concert in Anchorage, but instead pocketed the money.
He also kept a $120,000 deposit from an Austin, Texas, promoter and $100,000 each from promoters in Indianapolis and Denver in 1981 and 1982 to arrange concerts by Ross, Better said. Those concerts were never held.
The company that staged Prince's shows sued Klotzman in April 1985 for $10.5 million, charging he defrauded several promoters by promising to deliver Prince for concerts and collecting deposits to guarantee appearances. At that time it was discovered that Klotzman had bipolar disorder and been unmedicated for 45 years. He has since been medicated. In 1996 Klotzman was wrongfully arrested in connection with theft by deception charges. However, all charges were dismissed.
References
- Zalkind, Ronald (1980). Contemporary music almanac. Schirmer Books. p. 361. ISBN 0-02-872970-6.
- "Prince is being sued". Ocala Star Banner. 1985-11-07. pp. 2A. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
- "L.A. Times". Los Angeles Times. 1987-02-11. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
- "Rock concert promoter sentenced to jail". UPI.