Michael Lippman, Who Managed George Michael & David Bowie, Dies At 79

Longtime artist manager Michael Lippman, who worked with artists like George Michael, David Bowie and Matchbox Twenty, died Dec. 29. He was 79.

Rolling Stone confirmed the renowned manager’s death. Lippman was surrounded by family, including his wife Nancy and two sons, Nick and Josh, at his home in Santa Ynez, California. A cause of death was not disclosed by the family.

“Dad was a relentless advocate for his clients, his friends, his family,” Josh Lippman told Rolling Stone. “He was the person you wanted in your corner in any situation. He transitioned from bulldog to effortless charmer on a dime, often multiple times in a conversation, and never met a challenge he couldn’t solve.”

The New York native worked for lawyer Marvin Mitchelson before landing a job in the soundtracks department at Columbia Pictures.

Lippman rose to prominence in the ’70s as David Bowie’s lawyer and, briefly, as a manager working with the artist during his Ziggy Stardust era.

He continued to work on the label side and was mentored by Clive Davis at Arista Records and later managed George Michael’s solo career after Wham!, guiding the English singer until his death in 2016.

Matchbox Twenty and its lead singer, Rob Thomas, were propelled to stardom under the guidance of Lippman, who also represented songwriters like Bernie Taupin.

A day after Lippman’s death, Thomas posted a photo of his longtime manager on Instagram and referred to the 6-foot-1 Lippman as an important father figure.

“He was the most influential figure in my life, next to my wife, by far,” Thomas wrote on social media. “ … He was loved by industry titans, musical icons and supermodels. To all of us who knew him, his unbelievable career achievements were the least notable things about him. He was ten feet tall and fought as hard as he loved. We had epic fights and tearful make ups. He was quick to laugh, quick to yell and quick to cry. He was an ACTUAL rock star. He was an ACTUAL rodeo star.”

Thomas concluded his message with: “Most of all, he opened up his family to me and Mari and they are now our family and that was his greatest gift to us. I love you, Papa. Thank you for everything.”

Singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester, who was managed by Lippman for over a decade, also took to social media to write about her former manager.

“He was a great ‘barracuda’ of a manager, tough, committed with endless connections for some remarkable collaborations,” Manchester wrote. “We worked together from the late 70’s to the mid 90’s, achieving some fantastic and successful adventures. I will always be grateful for our time together.”

Lippman was known as a “bulldog” in the music business and never slowed down, working with his two sons for the past two decades.

“Michael was my mentor and greatest teacher,” Nick Lippman told Rolling Stone. “For over twenty years, we traveled the world and shared a bond that grew deeper with time. We spoke every day and often finished each other’s sentences. Our relationship was shaped by the work we did side by side, and a bond of love, trust and mutual respect.”