(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — WEA Corporation Warner Music Group's U.S. sales and retail marketing company, has hired Steve Corbin as vice president, Catalog Sales. Corbin will report to Rick Froio, senior vice president of Sales at WEA Corp. and will be based in New York.
Corbin has more than 26 years of experience in the music industry. In 2003, he founded Lupo Entertainment, an artist management and consulting company specializing in the independent music community. Before founding Lupo, Corbin headed the R&B/Hip-Hop A&R operations department at MCA Records, working with Mary J. Blige, KC and JoJo, Avant, The Roots, Common, Mos Def, The O'Jays and Keke Wyatt.
"With almost three decades in the music industry, Steve has the right combination of experience in all aspects of this business," said Froio. "With his passion for music and a proven track record working with artists of all genres, Steve is an ideal candidate to head WEA's catalog sales efforts."
"I look forward to beginning the next phase of my music career at WEA and Warner Music Group," said Corbin. "This is a dynamic time to be in music and the opportunity to oversee sales and marketing at one of the great catalogs in the music business is exciting. In addition, working with John Esposito, John Madison and Rick Froio and the labels of Warner Music Group will be especially rewarding."
Corbin began his career in the music industry in the Washington, D.C. area as a college promotion representative for CBS Records (now Sony Music) where he worked with The Clash and other prominent artists on the Columbia and Epic labels. Later, he was recruited to build a sales and marketing division for Black Music at PGD (PolyGram Group Distribution). Working closely with Motown, Mercury and Def Jam Records, PGD broke several artists, including Shanice, Brian McKnight and Method Man. Corbin was elevated to vice president of Sales, working with all of PolyGram's labels (A&M, Island, Deutsche Grammophon, London, Polygram Latino and Verve).
In 1995, Corbin joined Motown Records as executive vice president/general manager where he oversaw Motown's marketing, sales, promotion, creative services, video production, publicity departments and artist development, working with Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Norman Brown, 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men. –Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner
