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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Craig Balsam
| name = Craig Balsam

Revision as of 13:27, 11 March 2021

Craig Balsam
Craig Balsam by Robbie Quinn
EducationEmory University, NYU School of Law
Notable workRazor & Tie, KIDZ BOP
TitleMusic Executive / Theatrical Producer

Craig Balsam is an American entertainment industry veteran – businessman, entrepreneur, Tony® Award-winning theatrical producer and film producer.[1] He is co-founder of the New York City-based independent music company Razor & Tie as well as the children’s music brand KIDZ BOP.[2]

Career

Razor & Tie

After earning JDs at NYU School of Law and practicing in New York corporate firms in the late 80s, Balsam and his friend Cliff Chenfeld co-founded an independent music company.  Named for the required uniform of the lucrative profession that they left behind, Razor & Tie went on to sell over 40 million units, generate billions of streams and win multiple GRAMMY® Awards.[3]  Balsam and Chenfeld owned and operated indie Razor & Tie for almost 30 years and completed a sale of the business in late 2018 to Concord Music.[4][5]

During that 30 year period, Razor & Tie became one of the largest privately-owned labels and publishing companies in North America. The label’s first release in 1990, a nostalgic compilation titled “The 70s Preservation Society Presents The Fabulous 70s,” proved a multi-million-selling blockbuster and was followed by a series of hugely popular music compilations and DVDs, including “Disco Fever,” “Totally 80s,” “Monsters of Rock,” “Monster Ballads,” “Darrin’s Dance Grooves” and many others.[6] The unprecedented success of these and other compilations and the creation of its own in-house media buying business (Razor & Tie Media) created one of the largest independent direct response music companies in the United States.[7]

"Hits by Ke$ha, including “TiK ToK,” have been altered by Kidz Bop. The music franchise was started by New York dads Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam."[8]

In the early 90s, Razor & Tie began a reissue label, releasing on CD hundreds of classic albums and career retrospectives by a range of landmark artists, including Glen Campbell, King Curtis, the Partridge Family, Don Covay, James Carr, Merle Haggard, among many others.[9] In ensuing years, an eclectic roster of artists were signed to the label’s new music division, including such icons as Jon Batiste, The Pretty Reckless, Joan Baez, Graham Parker, Marshall Crenshaw, Dar Williams, All That Remains, and Brand New, to name a few. In 2014, Razor & Tie launched the Washington Square imprint, showcasing a number of critically acclaimed indie and alternative artists.[10]

Razor & Tie Music Publishing launched in 2007, a songwriter-friendly and service-oriented division with an aggressive approach to multi-media song placement, royalty administration and artist and writer career development. With numerous number one hits across several genres and a robust and highly successful synch roster, by the 2010’s Razor & Tie Music Publishing became a go-to indie publisher.[11]

KIDZ BOP

In 2001, Balsam co-founded, with Chenfeld, the #1 children’s music brand KIDZ BOP, featuring today’s biggest pop hits "sung by kids for kids."[12] The children's music phenomenon has sold tens of millions of albums and generated billions of streams since its debut in 2001.[13] The best-selling series has had 24 Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200; only three artists in history—The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Barbra Streisand—have had more Top 10 albums and KIDZ BOP was named Billboard's "#1 Kids' Artist" for eight consecutive years.[14][15]

Theater and Film production

Balsam has served as co-producer on a number of widely acclaimed theatrical productions, including the 2019 Tony® Award-winner for “Best Musical,” Hadestown, and playwright-actor Heidi Schreck’s Tony® Award-nominated What the Constitution Means to Me, a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle prestigious “Best American Play” of 2019.[16] In 2020, Balsam was a lead producer presenting the first Broadway production of Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen and won the 2016 Olivier Award for “Best New Play."[17][18][19]

Balsam has also served as executive producer on a number of films, including 2009’s Joan Baez: How Sweet The Sound, a comprehensive documentary produced in association with WNET for PBS’ acclaimed American Masters series, 2014’s musical romantic comedy-drama The Last Five Years, co-starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan, and 2016’s Women Who Kill.[20][21][22]

Personal life

Balsam was born in Newark, NJ, grew up in Millburn, NJ, has a BA from Emory University and a JD from NYU School of Law.[23]  He and his wife Jodi Balsam, an Associate Professor of Clinical Law and Director of Externship Programs at Brooklyn Law School, live in Manhattan and have three grown children.

References

  1. ^ "Craig Balsam | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  2. ^ https://news.syr.edu/blog/2014/10/28/razor-tie-kidz-bop-co-founder-craig-balsam-to-speak-oct-30-20781/
  3. ^ "RAZOR & TIE RECORDS". Concord. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  4. ^ "Concord Music Fully Acquires Razor & Tie". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  5. ^ "East Nashville site sells for $910K". Nashville Post. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  6. ^ "Razor & Tie". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  7. ^ Ragogna, Mike; Entertainment, ContributorTrafficbeat; Vet, Music Biz (2010-08-16). "The Business of Music III: A Conversation with Razor & Tie's Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam". HuffPost. Retrieved 2021-03-10. {{cite web}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ https://news.syr.edu/blog/2014/10/28/razor-tie-kidz-bop-co-founder-craig-balsam-to-speak-oct-30-20781/
  9. ^ "Razor & Tie". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  10. ^ "Razor and Tie launch new label imprint, sign The Hold Steady". idobi.com. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  11. ^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley. "Kidz Bop Goes Pop: Inside An Unlikely Music Empire". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  12. ^ McNamara, Tara; McNamara, Tara (2011-10-21). "Chenfeld & Balsam: Kidz Bop toppers". Variety. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  13. ^ "Kidz Bop Releases 40th Album with Radio Hits 'Old Town Road,' 'Senorita' and More". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  14. ^ "Kidz Bop Kids". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  15. ^ "Acclaimed Music Group KIDZ BOP KIDS Confirmed As Opening Music Performance For This Year's CHILDREN IN NEED On BBC One | The Fan Carpet". www.thefancarpet.com. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  16. ^ "Craig Balsam – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  17. ^ "Craig Balsam Theatre Credits, News, Bio and Photos". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  18. ^ "Martin McDonagh's 'Hangmen' Is Broadway's First Coronavirus Casualty". The Hollywood Reporter. 2020-03-20. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  19. ^ "Craig Balsam". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  20. ^ Leydon, Joe; Leydon, Joe (2009-10-05). "Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound". Variety. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  21. ^ American Masters (TV Series 1985– ) - IMDb, retrieved 2021-03-10
  22. ^ Grierson, Tim; Critic2014-09-08T03:00:00+01:00, Senior US. "The Last Five Years". Screen. Retrieved 2021-03-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "Alumnus/Alumna of the Month | NYU School of Law". www.law.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
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