Promoter Arne Worsoe Dies

The ICO chief is the second Danish promoter to succomb to cancer in the last year, following the death of Flemming Schmidt in February.

London-based booking agent Carl Leighton-Pope alluded to this when saying, “I will miss him, what a terrible year for losing friends.”

Although the two didn’t often work together directly, Leighton-Pope says they had a “a great relationship” and that Worsoe could “find festivals and shows for my clients that no one else could.”

“Last month we closed a Cliff Richard deal with Arne; it turned out the last deal we ever made, and we made a lot of deals with Arne over the years,” said Leon Ramakers from Live Nation’s Mojo Concerts in The Netherlands. “All of Mojo will remember him as a fair businessman and we wish his family and staff all the strength they need in these difficult days.”

In the last couple of years, Worsoe – who founded his company more than 50 years ago – had handed over the day-to-day running of it to his son Kim.

He leaves two other sons, Peter and Jan.

In the last 50 years, Worsoe built ICO to be one of the best-known European-based international agencies, working with acts including Prince, Simon & Garfunkel, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, Diana Krall, Gipsy Kings, Michael Bublé, James Taylor, and Status Quo.

He was also instrumental in the European careers of Sammy Davis, Liza Minnelli, Bette Midler, Ella Fitzgerald, and Harry Belafonte.

“I am truly very sorry of his passing,” said Adolfo Galli of Di & Gi in Italy. “We had seen each other at Lucca this past July at the concert of Diana Krall.”

Worsoe and Galli also worked together on Luther Vandross, James Taylor, and Prince.

“Besides being a great professional and a talented promoter and agent, Arne was first of all a friend for many years,” said French promoter Gérard Drouot. “I already will miss his joy of living and his incomparable sense of humor. This is the first time since we met that he’s not making me laugh.”

“The passing of Arne Worsoe is a big, big loss for our whole business,” said German promoter Hermjo Klein. “I have also lost a very good friend.”

“He was always straight with a matchless sense of humor. Sometimes his actions were hard to understand but at the end of the day we always ended up in a laugh.”

“With him an actual written contract was not needed.

“His word was worth much more than any paper. He was one of the best in our business with a unique personality.”

Worsoe’s funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov.1 at Hellerup Kirke, Copenhagen.