TORONTO (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Mike McCarty, the influential president of EMI Music Publishing Canada has announced that he's departing the company as of July 1st.
"It was not an easy decision. There is rarely a day that goes by when I don't stop to reflect on how lucky I am to be able to pursue my passion for working with great songs and songwriters. Watching the accomplishments of our world class roster, and sharing in the excitement of your hit records, awards, and sold out concerts has been a joy. For twenty three years, it is EMI and its predecessors SBK and CBS Songs that have provided me with this opportunity, and for that I will be forever grateful." McCarty wrote in an internal memo announcing his departure.
"However, change is good. We all need fresh challenges from time to time, and an opportunity has come along that falls into the 'I'd kick myself if I didn't take it' category." McCarty added.
McCarty helmed the Canadian division for 15 years and was a key figure in developing the careers of numerous artists, including Sum 41, Three Days Grace, Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, City and Colour, Esthero, Gavin Brown, Wilson Phillips, Matthew Good, Lukas Rossi, Moist and Len. Recently, he was instrumental in signing Nelly Furtado to a U.S. deal.
McCarty's entry into music came in 1978 while completing his final year in the Music Industry Arts Diploma program at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. Canadian producer Jack Richardson, who was on the school's advisory board, was impressed by McCarty's production work and offered him a job at the Nimbus 9 studio in Toronto.
At Nimbus 9 for three years, McCarty was on hand for Richardson-produced sessions with Ringo Starr
and John Denver and engineered "some sound effects and vignette pieces" for Bob Ezrin's 1979 co-production of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" album.
After leaving Nimbus 9, McCarty worked with Ezrin on albums by Kiss and the Kings.
After an unsuccessful attempt to launch a production company, McCarty landed as creative manager at ATV Canada in 1985. This was followed by a similar post at CBS Songs Canada. Following that company's buyout by SBK Songs, McCarty moved to Los Angeles in 1987 as creative manager at SBK Songs and director of A&R at SBK Records.
When SBK was sold to EMI Music Publishing, he stayed on as a creative director before returning to Toronto to head up EMI Music Publishing Canada.
Last year, in an effort to streamline their business, EMI restructured their North American operations. The move saw McCarty shuttling back and forth from Toronto to EMI's new Canadian office in New York City and which left their Canadian operations as little more than a branch office.
McCarty's plans for the future have yet to be made public and EMI's current chairman Roger Faxon is expected to name a successor for McCarty soon. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
