Don Kirshner

Don Kirshner (April 17, 1934 – January 17, 2011) was an American song publisher and rock producer. He managed successful pop groups such as The Monkees, Kansas, and The Archies. Kirshner was born and raised in the Bronx. He studied at the Bronx High School of Science. One of his classmates there was Bobby Darin.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s Kirshner and his partner Al Nevins had a successful music publishing company called Aldon Music. They managed songwriters from the "Brill Building", including Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Jack Keller. He also had three record labels: Chairman, Calendar, and Kirshner Records.
ABC Television asked Kirshner to produce a new music TV program call "In Concert". He left after one year to produce his own show called "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert". This show featured live rock music performances and was very successful.
He died of heart failure in Boca Raton, Florida on January 17, 2011. He was 76 years old.