Features
Jeff Walker Dies
Jeff Walker, 65, a pioneer in country music publicity and promotion, died suddenly Aug. 24.
Bob Saporiti of the American Music Project, CMAA President Dobe Newton, Jeff Walker, John Lomax (Sister Cities Nashville) and Mark Moffatt (Americana Music Association president).
Walker, from Australia, created AristoMedia Group in 1980 and built its marketing, radio and video subsidiaries. The radio promotion division had success stories in Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks and The Dixie Chicks, among others, as noted by the Tennessean. The video promotion division could tout similar successes with Shania Twain, Keith Urban and Toby Keith.
Its Christian music division had clients in Michael W. Smith and Third Day, among others. Walker was extremely active in the Country Music Association, winning its President’s Award and Jo Walker Meador International Award. He served on the Country Radio Seminar’s board of directors for 35 years.
Walker is known as an early advocate for growing country music internationally.