TORONTO (CelebrityAccess) — Larry Wanagas, the noted Canadian talent manager and label executive, who represented artists such as The Trews and k.d. lang, died on January 31st.
His passing was first reported by Canadian music journalist Alan Cross, and former clients, The Trews in a social media post.
Wanagas began his career by promoting shows while he was still in college after he was named Entertainment Director at the University of Alberta. He went on to launch his own recording studio, Homestead Recorders, along with an independent management company, Bumstead Productions, and a related independent record label.
One of his first signings was k.d. lang, who he signed to a multi-faceted deal that included artist management, recording and publishing agreements, and whose career he would guide for the next 15 years.
His other early clients included The Trews, Colin James, Tim Chaisson, Modern Minds, Big Sugar, and Yukon Blonde, among others.
In addition to overseeing his management company and record labels, Wanagas also served on the board of the Cultural Human Resources Council, served as Director of the Music Manager’s Forum, Director of the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), co-founder and General Manager of the Alberta Recording Industry Association, and was on the Music Industry Advisory Committee, Ontario Media Development Corporation.
In 2012, Wanagas was presented with the a lifetime achievement award by the Music Manager’s Forum.
Wanagas announced his professional retirement in 2017.
“So sad to hear that Canadian manager Larry Wanagas has passed. He was a pivotal figure in the Canadian music industry. First and foremost he managed k.d. Lang to international prominence and brought the Trews to Canadian stardom. He was also a major industry supporter in building a Canadian music infrastructure,” stated CelebrityAccess Senior Editor and fellow Canadian Larry LeBlanc
