LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Veteran talent agent Troy Blakely, a managing partner and the head of music for the Agency for the Performing Arts, has passed. He was 68.
A cause of death for Mr. Blakely was not disclosed, but he had been battling cancer for years after being diagnosed in 1994 with squamous cell carcinoma.
A native of Detroit, Blakely left college after his freshman year for his first industry job, serving as tour manager for Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels — then managed by Creem magazine owner, Barry Kramer.
Blakely then moved to New York City, and signed on as an assistant tour manager under veteran tour manager Teddy Slatus for Johnny Winter and later his brother Edgar.
In 1972, he accepted a position as an agent at DMA (Diversified Management Agency), where his clients included Ted Nugent, Iggy and the Stooges, MC5, Nazareth, Golden Earring, Canned Heat, Birtha, Lighthouse, The Raspberries, and Blackfoot.
Almost a decade later, Blakely joined the Los Angeles-based Magna Artists, where he booked Ozzy’s first solo tour but was soon enticed to join ICM with his clients Sammy Hagar and Triumph. While at ICM, Blakely signed Red Hot Chili Peppers and Poison before relocating to the company’s New York offices where he expanded his roster with the addition of Boston, Faith No More, Alice In Chains, Kings X, Y&T, and The Black Crowes, and served as responsible agent for Rush, Ozzy Osbourne, and Iron Maiden.
In 1994, Blakely moved to APA, working first out of the agency’s New York offices before moving to their Los Angeles headquarters to serve as head of the music division, a position he would hold for more than two decades.
During his tenure at APA, Blakely served as responsible agent for such leading artists as Fleetwood Mac, Robert Plant, Judas Priest, Boston, Poison, Bret Michaels, The Black Crowes, Sammy Hagar, Heart, The Go-Go’s, Lenny Kravitz, Whitesnake, Sebastian Bach, Royal Machines, Dee Snyder, Zakk Wylde, Black Label Society, Ratt, Cinderella, Dokken, and Lita Ford.
“All of us at APA are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and colleague, Troy Blakely,” said Jim Gosnell, President and CEO of APA. “We will be forever grateful for the numerous contributions he made to the success of our company over past 25 years. He will be dearly missed.”
Troy Blakely is survived by his wife Kelly Blakely, parents Grace and Albert Blakely, sister Bonnie and Mike Bellanger, brother Tim and Josie Blakely, and his dog, Rocko. Funeral services will be private, with a memorial planned for a later date.
