DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. (Kirshner International Inc) - Kirshner International, Inc. announced today, that after extensive negotiations with the companies' namesake, Don Kirshner, that a contract has been entered with Mr. Kirshner for three years with an option for an additional three years. Mr. Kirshner will be the Company's Chairman of the Board Emeritus, and Creative Director. Mr. Kirshner will receive additional equity in the Company, issued in the same manner as has his original shares in connection with the new contract. The Company also announced that, after ensuring necessary regulatory compliance and coordination with its transfer agent, it will effect a reverse-split 1:5 of its common stock. Details of the changes in Kirshner International, Inc. capital structure will be available upon request.
As previously announced Kirshner International intends to be a creator of content in a number of segments of entertainment with Don Kirshner whom Time Magazine called "The Man With The Golden Ear."
Music is one of the leading forms of entertainment and plays a major role in the everyday lives of people around the world. The Recording Industry of America reports that listening to music is one of the most popular pastimes with nearly nine out of ten adults accompanying their leisure activities with music. Kirshner International intends to capitalize on this area by forming joint ventures with companies that already have strong distribution networks in the entertainment field.
Don Kirshner has been credited with three of the most innovative media breakthroughs over the last four decades. They include the simulcast on ABC television with "In Concert," which he created and served as executive producer. That show helped to launch the careers of Santana, Aerosmith, Jimmy Buffet, Al Green, Van Morrison and "The Bee Gees," introducing the Music Video and being credited as the innovator and forerunner of the V.H.1 and M.T.V. type format Mr. Kirshner is known as the man who started the Video-Rock Revolution on television.
In the field of music publishing no other individual has had success like Don Kirshner and he has been regarded as pop music's most successful publisher who oversaw the rise of Rock and Roll and Teen Pop.
He was the only American under the ATV-Kirshner Corporation, to control the North American Publishing Rights to the Lennon-McCartney catalogue including "Michelle," "Yesterday" and "Hey Jude" as well as John Lennon's "Imagine." Kirshner's name has also appeared on most of "The Beatles" songs.
The most performed song for BMI - "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" - was a Don Kirshner song and "Where The Boys Are" which started the "Spring Break" in Florida was written for Kirshner. Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra have all recorded Kirshner songs and the most recent number one record "Solitaire" by Clay Aiken on "American Idol," originated as a Kirshner copyright. Over the past year Kirshner songs have appeared in such mega hit films such as "Fahrenheit 911" and "Shrek."
In the motion picture industry, Kirshner acted as musical supervisor on three Academy Award-winning films, "To Sir With Love," "Lawrence Of Arabia" and "Born Free" as well as "Georgy Girl" and published "The Look of Love" as President of the music division of Columbia Pictures and Screen Gems Television. For television, Don supervised the music for a number of long-running, popular series such as "I Dream Of Jeannie," "The Flying Nun" and "Bewitched" among many others.
Don's previous successes started with his early singer, songwriting discoveries of Bobby Darin, Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Carole Bayer Sager, Tony Orlando and Phil Spector. He also published songs written by Barry Man, Cynthia Weil, Burt Bachrach, Hal David Quincy Jones and Brian Wilson to name a few, as well as Neil Diamond's biggest hit "I'm a Believer," "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" called Don Kirshner "The Supreme Starmaker" and "The Father of Rock and Roll."
Over the years, Don Kirshner has been one of the most successful creators of content for the Entertainment Industry. His success on both radio and television are well known and nothing in this area is more recognized than his highly successful "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert Series." Don's shows, which ran for ten years, featured for the first time, artists such as Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Phil Collins, Abba, Heart, Queen, Kiss and Elton John. Country legends like Alabama and The Oakridge Boys, Jazz greats, Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis, Soul Superstars including Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle and The Isley Brothers, Heavy Metal Bands AC/DC, Judas Priest and current touring acts like Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, Barry Manilow, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt and Rod Stewart all appeared on Don's shows.
In the comedy area Kirshner believed in Woody Allen's talents and signed him for his first comedy album. Don later gave up and coming comedians a big start with stand-up comedy on his show. Some of those comedians - at the inception of their careers, were Billy Crystal, Gary Shandling, David Letterman, Arsenio Hall, Jay Leno and Steve Martin. The New York Times, Sunday section said that HBO, Saturday Night Live and Don Kirshner were responsible for starting big time comedy in America.
Kirshner was the only person ever to musically supervise and work with 3 multimedia acts when he creatively controlled "The Monkees," then "The Archies" - (Sugar-Sugar) and "The Harlem Globetrotters."
From the early 70's when Don Kirshner discovered Olivia Newton John, he then highlighted, during the Disco Craze, such artists as Donna Summer, The Village People and John Travolta.
Bob Marley and Reggae music were brought to a national audience on "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" show.
He also showcased Tina Turner, Luther Vandross and brought "Led Zeppelin" with "Stairway To Heaven" and Mick Jagger and "The Rolling Stones" to a national television audience in addition to England's own David Bowie and The Who. He has remained at the cutting edge of presenting new and future stars.
Don gave Prince, Michael Jackson, Ozzy Osbourne, Lionel Richie and The Eagles, among others, their initial national showcase on his television shows. Kirshner introduced the late, great, Peter Allen, Harry Chapin and Jim Croce, all of whom got their early career launches with Don Kirshner. Don joined the ranks of such industry giants as Dick Clark, Kenny Rogers, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Whitney Houston when he received the B'nai B'rith performing arts "Creative Achievement Award," a true honor from his peers.
Don Kirshner formed and ran three of the most successful, independent record companies, Dimension, Colgems and Kirshner Records, distributed by Sony with the Multi Platinum selling group "Kansas." Kirshner was also distinguished by having his name placed ahead of two major entertainment conglomerates when he was the head of Kirshner/CBS Music and Kirshner/Warner Music Internationally.
He was also named "The Ed Sullivan of Rock" in the New York Daily News and in Tower Record Stores throughout the country, Don was called "America's foremost Rock Impressario." He has most recently been hailed by many music and comedy fans as "The Ultimate Idolmaker."
