Promoter Michael Cohl, Manager Lorne Saifer to Be Honored by Music Managers Forum Canada

Karen Bliss
·2 min read
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Concert promoter Michael Cohl and manager Lorne Saifer have been named as the 2016 inductees into the Music Managers Forum Canada’s 10th Annual Honour Roll, to be held May 3 at Toronto’s Bymark Restaurant.

Cohl, a 45-year industry vet who has produced global tours for the Rolling Stones, U2, Pink Floyd and Barbra Streisand, will receive the Brian Chater Pioneer Award; while Saifer, a 50-year vet who recently saw his client Burton Cummings inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the Juno Awards, will get the Honour Roll Award.

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Cohl has also produced award-winning films like Pete Seeger: Power of Song; LENNONNYC; Big Easy Express; and Sing Your Song; plus live children’s shows like Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! which won a 2010 Billboard Touring Award. He also won producer of the year in 2011 for Broadway’s Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark.

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He is currently the founder and chairman of Iconic Entertainment Studios and is developing, producing, and promoting more than a dozen properties, including An Evening with Oprah, David Gilmour, Transformers Live!, An Evening with Al Pacino, A Night with Janis Joplin, Alvin and the Chipmunks Live on Stage!

Cohl, who was previously the chairman of Live Nation, has been feted in the past. He’s been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. Billboard also gave him the Legend of Live Award, and the Juno Awards gave him the Walt Grealis Special Achievement.

Saifer started managing acts when he was just 15, beginning with Neil Young and the Squires. In the early ’70s, while VP of A&R at CBS, he signed Bill Withers, Heart, Burton Cummings, Ringo Starr, Joan Baez, and worked with Billy Joel on Piano Man, and Boz Scaggs on Silk Degrees.

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After CBS, he returned to artist management with several partners, overseeing the careers of Prince, Rod Stewart, Simple Minds, the Bangles, Toni Braxton, and Burton Cummings. Saifer also put together the reunion of Cummings’ former band the Guess Who, and several tours for the Bachman-Cummings Band.

He continues to manage Cummings, a school friend from Winnipeg, who still tours worldwide with a band and just by himself titled Up Close and Alone.

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