Executive Profile: Jonathan Wolfson On Managing Daryl Hall, Howard Jones & Loverboy—’Things Can Only Get Better’

Ask Jonathan Wolfson what it’s like to managing artists like Daryl Hall, Howard Jones and Loverboy, and he admits to lifelong fandom. “If you had told me as a 14-year-old kid growing up in Rockland County, I would be working with these groups, I’d be out of my mind,” said Wolfson, who took over management of Daryl Hall & John Oates in 2009, then Loverboy the following year, and just added synthpop icon Howard Jones over the past 18 months, selling his company to Live Nation in 2018.

After the messy dissolution of the partnership between Daryl Hall and John Oates in 2023, Hall has moved seamlessly into solo shows with his longtime band, including musical director Shane Theriot (who replaced guitarist Paul Pesco in 2014 at the helm of Live from Daryl’s House) and Charlie DeChant, his sax player since 1975.

Hall has been touring with many of the artists who have appeared on the long-running web show, which Wolfson has co-executive-produced since its 2007 launch, including Elvis Costello, Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook, fellow Philly native Todd Rundgren, Dave Stewart and current management stablemate Howard Jones. The format is simple: the opening act does a set of their own music accompanied by Daryl’s band, then returns after Hall to perform several songs with him from their appearance on Live from Daryl’s House.

“Surprisingly, up until these last few years, Daryl hadn’t really done that many solo shows,” said Wolfson about his recent spate of concerts. “The transition has been a lot easier because of him bringing that collaborative Live from Daryl’s House experience to the stage. It’s natural because he’s formed a bond with these opening acts from working together on the show. It’s fun for Daryl and the band to learn a new repertoire. He’s a live performer; he loves that interaction with the audience.”

As for booking Daryl in theaters after having built his previous band back into playing arenas, Wolfson explained, “The nature and format of this show leans into a smaller, more intimate venue anyway. I don’t think it would work as well in a large amphitheater.”

Through his work with Hall & Oates, Howard Jones and Loverboy, Wolfson has become known as a something of a fixer, a Generation X fan who grew up on MTV who comes in and refreshes brands.

“When you’re young and have those first impressions, they never leave,” said Jonathan. “Musically, they last forever. I was a 14-year-old watching Hall & Oates play Brendan Byrne Arena on the ‘Big Bam Boom Tour.” In my mind, that’s who they are. When I was growing up, MTV was my world. I see them through the eyes of a teenage fan. That gives me the advantage with heritage artists because the love is there. That kind of enthusiasm and belief is contagious. I love these artists, and their body of work, and my job is to reconnect them with the audience that fell in love with them in the first place and then target a younger audience that may be hearing these songs for the very first time. And if my endorphins are going crazy with that kind of visceral reaction when I hear Howard Jones sing ‘Things Can Only Get Better,’ then I know others must be feeling the same thing.

“Streaming services like Spotify enable kids to listen to 45-year-old songs as if they’re new, which leads that kid down a rabbit hole of other groups just like that. The algorithms work.”

Wolfson has been working with technopop icon Howard Jones for almost two years now, helping the U.K. star mark the 40th anniversary of three big events in 1985 – the release of his milestone Dream Into Action album, his appearance on the famed Grammy “Synthesizer Showdown” medley alongside Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock and Thomas Dolby and his performance at Wembley Stadium for Live Aid.

“He just handed me the keys to the ignition of his 45-year career, and said let’s see how you drive,” said Wolfson. “What an honor and responsibility. If I mess it up, to paraphrase one of his hits, some one is to blame… me.”

Jones just wrapped the U.S. leg of his Dream Into Action tour, which had several highlights, including being joined on-stage at Salt Lake City’s Ballpark at America First Square by The Killers’ Brandon Flowers, a longtime fan, for two songs, including “No One is to Blame” and “Hide and Seek.” Another notable event: Jones taped a performance of “Things Can Only Get Better” at Jimmy Kimmel Live! the very day the show’s staff and crew learned the show had been put on hiatus by Disney and ABC after the host’s comments on the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“I didn’t tell Howard until after he got off-stage, when I showed him the CNN headline on my phone about the show,” said Wolfson. “He couldn’t believe he might have been the last musical guest ever on Jimmy Kimmel.” A week later, Kimmel recounted the event in detail while appearing on fellow talk show host Stephen Colbert’s Late Night.

“I felt like I played a small part in a defining moment in history,” Jones told Pollstar. “How weird that song was so pertinent to the occasion. It was like they were hanging on every word. It was truly surreal. It was as if the song was written for that exact moment.”

Jones is currently on tour in Europe for dates in Germany, U.K., Ireland, Netherlands and Sweden through the end of the year, which will bring his worldwide count of bookings to over 60.

Loverboy was Wolfson’s second management client, added in 2010, the legendary Canadian rockers that still boast four of its original members in singer Mike Reno, guitarist Paul Dean, drummer Matt Frenette and keyboardist Doug Johnson along with bassist Ken “Spider” Sinnaeve, a former member of Dean and Frenette’s pre-Loverboy band Streetheart, who replaced the late Scott Smith in 2001.

“There’s a level of authenticity that you don’t get with other classic rock bands,” said Jonathan.

Wolfson landed two major national TV advertising campaigns for the band from IHOP (“Working for the Weekend”) and National Car Rental featuring Patrick Warburton (“Lovin’ Every Minute of It”), amid a steady touring schedule.  

“Management is all about personal relationships,” concluded Wolfson.  “You have to like each other and be willing to work together. This job is 24-7 and it doesn’t work unless the artist trusts you.  Even while I’m lying in bed at night trying to sleep, I’m thinking of ways I can help my clients’ career. You just have to get more hits than strikeouts.”

For Jonathan Wolfson, things can only get better.

“I’m always open to adding another artist that checks all the boxes,” he said about expansion. “But you need groups who are willing to play as a team.”