CHICAGO (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Music impresario Lee Abrams has resigned from XM Radio, where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer to accept the newly-created position of Chief Innovation Officer at the Tribune Company.
"There is a remarkable opportunity for Tribune to design the future of American media with passion, intellect, and imagination that meets the spirit of the 21st century," said Abrams. "We have the resources to pioneer a new age of information and entertainment that re-invents and enlightens—and that is exactly what we are going to do!"
Since 1998, Abrams has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer at XM Satellite Radio, overseeing the development and programming of more than 100 radio stations. At XM, Abrams developed programming with such diverse artists as Bob Dylan, Snoop Dogg, Quincy Jones, Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis.
"I love XM. Everybody from the guard I wave to every morning to the people here who have been through the pain and joy (and outrageous parties that literally destroyed my house) that come with building something new…from nothing." said Abrams about his departure.
Abrams, 55, was the founding partner of Burkhart/Abrams, the Atlanta-based consulting giant, and is credited with being a pioneer in Album Rock, the first successful FM format. He pioneered the radio "morning show" and gave Howard Stern and Steve Dahl their first major market jobs. Abrams has also been a marketing and content consultant to MTV, Swatch and Coca-Cola. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
