Tayyaba
Elliot Goldman, an iconic figure in the music business and founding executive at Clive Davis’ Arista Records, who also held positions at CBS Records, BMG Music, and Warner Communications during his lengthy career, has passed away at the age of 88.
How did Elliot Goldman die?
Elliot Goldman, the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Arista Records who helped form the renowned label in 1974 with Davis, passed away on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles and it is reported that the cause of death were a few undisclosed health issues in the past few months. Davis recently posted a tribute to Goldman, crediting him with contributing significantly to the history of the label and claiming that the late executive “strongly contributed to its success” alongside his service to other media companies throughout his long career in the field.
Elliot’s wife of 56 years, Jill, survives him, as do his children Ben, Elizabeth, and Cathy; daughter-in-law Allysa; and grandchildren Justin, Dylan, Sophie, and Olivia. On Friday, funeral services were held and donations can be contributed in the late executive’s honor to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
History in Music: Elliot Goldman
Goldman – who graduated with a degree from Cornell University and a law degree from Columbia University – kicked off his career in local government and served as Head of the New York City Office for Senator Robert F. Kennedy’s 1964 presidential campaign. His time in Business Affairs was spent at CBS Records from 1967 to 1974. After founding and then later separating from Arista Records, Goldman spent time as a Senior Vice President at Warner Communications, overseeing multiple RCA Records labels, before taking on the role of President and Chief Executive Officer at BMG Music.
Goldman was an influential figure in the music industry and held board positions on the RIAA and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. He was also Co-Chairman of the Home Entertainment Division for the UJA-Federation of New York and served as an advisor for the T.J. Martell Foundation. The succesful executive’s son, Ben, is an A&R executive at ONErpm – while grandson Justin Goldman was recognized as the youngest music executive on Forbes’ ’30 Under 30′ list in 2021.