Peter Levinson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Peter James Levinson July 1, 1934 |
| Died | October 21, 2008(2008-10-21) (aged 74) |
| Alma mater | University of Virginia |
| Occupation(s) | Publicist, Biographer |
Peter James Levinson (1 July 1934Atlantic City,New Jersey - 21 October 2008Malibu) was an American musicpublicist andbiographer, particularly ofjazz musicians.
Levinson took his bachelor's at theUniversity of Virginia, where he wrote on jazz in the university paper.[1]
After completing service in theArmy inKorea, he wrotefreelance on jazz music inNew York City and took a job atColumbia Records in the late 1950s.[1] His first job as a publicist was withJack Jones, beginning in 1962.[1] He spent nearly fifty years in the music industry as a promoter and representative for stars such asCount Basie,Artie Shaw,Woody Herman,Lalo Schifrin,Antonio Carlos Jobim,Chuck Mangione,Dave Brubeck,Rosemary Clooney,Erroll Garner,Stan Getz,Peggy Lee,Bill Evans,Dexter Gordon,Maynard Ferguson,Pete Fountain,Art Garfunkel,Bud Shank,Phyllis Diller,George Shearing,Chick Corea,Jim Hall,Benny Carter,Charlie Byrd,Louie Bellson,Dee Dee Bridgewater,Jack Lemmon, andMel Tormé.
Levinson's publicity work also extended into television and film, working onDallas,Z,Fiddler on the Roof, andKramer vs. Kramer. He founded his own company, Peter Levinson Communications, which was based initially in New York; though he reduced his clientele in the 1980s and 1990s, he continued to represent clients into the early 2000s.[2] He also helped orchestrate the 1986 introduction of apostage stamp in honor ofDuke Ellington.[1]
Late in his career, Levinson began writing biographies, completing works onHarry James,Nelson Riddle, andTommy Dorsey. A biography ofFred Astaire was completed just before his death, and was published in 2009:Puttin' on the Ritz: Fred Astaire and the Fine Art of Panache,St. Martin's PressOCLC 243544712;ISBN 9780312353667;ISBN 0312353669.
Levinson contractedamyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2006, which prevented him from speaking; he used a type-to-speech computer and continued writing.[3] He died at the age of 74 after a fall at his home inMalibu, California on October 21, 2008.[1]
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