Skip to main content

Remembering Robert Fitzpatrick


In memory of and with respect for Robert Fitzpatrick, one of the great men of music, who managed The Buckinghams in the late 1960s, during the time we released 'In One Ear and Gone Tomorrow'. He passed away October 23rd after a lengthy battle with lung cancer.

Bob was formerly partners with Robert Stigwood, in their firm Stigwood-Fitzpatrick, where they managed Cream and the Bee Gees. When The Buckinghams selected him as their manager, his credentials were indeed sterling. Bob had been the attorney for The Beatles in the 1960s, and he also represented rock acts including The Rolling Stones and The Who, plus he also represented Miss Peggy Lee, Taj Mahal, and actor Don Johnson.

In his early years, Bob worked his way through Princeton University and, as a member of the Marine Corps, he attained the rank of Captain and served in Vietnam. His legal education was obtained at UCLA Law School, where he earned an LLB and JD degrees, specializing in entertainment law throughout his career. Bob had most recently been President of the Eclecto Groove record label and he'd had his own firm, The Robert Fitzpatrick Organization for most of his career.

Bob was our manager in the final stages of our career in the late 1960s, and we were proud to have him be a part of our musical heritage. His civic activities included serving as a member of the Board of Directors of RADD, Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving.

We extend our sympathy to his family upon his passing, and are grateful that we had the opportunity to be associated with this talented industry executive.

--Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna

A full tribute to Robert Fitzpatrick was printed in Variety:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118026232.html?categoryid=16&cs=1


From the Archives of Music Preservation, Bob shares a few memories about The Beatles:
http://archivesofmusicpreservation.com/videovault_8RF.htm

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering Frank Tesinsky, Beloved Chicago Musician, Key to The Buckinghams' Characteristic Sound

Each time the opening notes to “Kind of a Drag” come on the air, whether it’s your car radio, your phone, or choice of streaming media, the first 23 notes you hear inform you immediately that not only are you hearing “Kind of a Drag,” but you are hearing The Buckinghams. That instant recognition, in turn, is thanks to the talent of musician Frank Tesinsky, who arranged the iconic tune for producers Dan Belloc and Carl Bonafede in a 1966 recording session in Chicago’s Chess Studios. The Buckinghams family was greatly saddened to learn of Frank’s passing on November 9. Catherine Johns, his wife of 32 years, was a beloved part of his life and part of Chicago radio as well. In February 1967 "Kind of a Drag" was #1 on the Billboard charts for two weeks, and it forever defined the sound of five young men from the northside of Chicago. Just 27 notes, right? And yet, it defined the magic of what would become known as “the horn sound” that The Buckinghams are b...

What Celebrating 50 Years Since Reaching #1 on Billboard Means in the World of The Buckinghams

Everyone who is a fan of the band The Buckinghams can easily name all the songs that were Top 10 hits, Top 20 hits, and Billboard Top 100 chartmakers. You have several songs that have personal, special meaning for you. But the song that took the native Chicagoans out of the basements of the band members' homes was the one USA Records released last, almost as an afterthought. "Kind of a Drag" has the distinction of being the song that took this band to the national level. Many wonderful bands are part of Chicago history, and they are as beloved today as they were in their time. But this one song, "Kind of a Drag" took flight and went to #1 on Billboard 50 years ago today, February 18, 1967. Imagine what it was like for five young men to hold a copy of "Billboard" in their hands. For a few years, Carl and Jon-Jon had gone to the newsstand each week, buying a single copy of "Billboard" and reading it cover to cover. These days you hear about ...

In Memory of John Poulos, March 31, 1947 - March 26, 1980

Five days before his 33rd birthday, we lost John Poulos, a dear friend who was like a brother to us, as well as The Buckinghams’ drummer. Often described as the heartbeat of our band, he was known to most Buckinghams’ fans of the 60s simply as Jon-Jon. To know John was to love him. With his outgoing personality, he never met a stranger. His talent is remembered best in the style he displayed on drum fills and riffs on our hits, including “Don’t You Care,” “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song,” and “Kind of a Drag.” It’s not surprising that Jon-Jon was included as one of the Top 10 drummers in Modern Drummer Magazine. Contemporary MySpace profiles of aspiring amateur and professional musicians today include the name John Poulos among their musical influences. That’s an honor both fitting and accurate for a musician who was truly one of a kind. Nick and I recall that one of John’s own musical influences was Bobby Elliot, drummer for The Hollies, whose signature beret and tossing of his he...