Phil Quartararo, a record executive for five decades at A&M, RCA, Island, EMI, Warner Bros. and Virgin Records, died today in Los Angeles of pancreatic cancer at age 67.
He is credited for helping boost the success of U2, Paula Abdul, and the Spice Girls, among many others.
A hard-charging radio promotions man in his early career, he gradually rose up the music executive ladder. Quartararo began his career in the record industry as a local radio promotion manager for A&M, then moved to RCA for a regional slot.
He was then hired as Senior VP Promotion and Marketing for Island Records, where he helped to introduce U2 to the states.
From there, he helped launch Virgin Records America, then became president of Warner Bros. Records in 1997. He moved on to EMI Music, then into the digital realm.
Quartararo was executive producer of the eight-hour PBS miniseries, The Soundtrack of Our Lives.
Paula Abdul said in a statement, “Phil believed in me like no other. His ceaseless support for me during my time at Virgin was unparalleled. I will miss him.”
No information on survivors or memorial plans was immediately available.
