OCALA, FL (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Sean LaRoche, 71, long-time talent agency exec in the rock and contemporary music fields, died July 15 in Ocala, Florida. Cause of death was esophegal cancer, according to his daughter, Wendy LaRoche.
LaRoche began his career as a college agent with Premier Talent, the well-known agency helmed by Frank Barsalona. Booking bands like Led Zeppelin and The Who, among others, LaRoche soon rose to a prominent spot in his field, and was named College Agent of the Year by the NEC (NACA). Later in his career, he also worked with The Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) and American Talent International (ATI). He also was associated for a time with Free Flow Productions, a management firm, guiding the career of Jerry Jeff Walker among others.
Following a brief hiatus from his chosen field, LaRoche returned in the early ‘90s to start a new agency, Drake and LaRoche with Tim Drake. Drake said this week to that “I wouldn’t be in this business today, if it hadn’t been for Sean LaRoche. I visited him a couple of weeks ago and there he was, practically on his death bed, still wrapping up a festival deal for a friend he believed in. That was Sean!” Drake and LaRoche eventually became The Roots Agency, operated today by Drake.
Following his departure from the combine with Drake, LaRoche also worked with Fleming Tamulevich, on such acts as Ani DiFranco, Martin Sexton and Dar Williams, among others. More recently, LaRoche worked independently focusing on career development for singer/songwriters.
In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted by The Folk Alliance, in his name, to establishThe Sean LaRoche Memorial Fund to benefit emerging singer/songwriters. For donations, please contact: folkalliance.org – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
