Vector Management exec Peter Rudge is to be awarded the prestigious Peter Grant Award at the Artist and Manager Awards in November.
Rudge was interviewed by MBW about his career earlier this year, and told us that a manager’s “greatest value to an artist is honesty and objectivity”.
Wise words.
The Peter Grant Award, named after the legendary manager of Led Zeppelin, is awarded annually to a manager who has gained the respect of their peers over a sustained career.
Peter Rudge’s career has seen him manage The Who and The Rolling Stones, as well as Duran Duran, Madness and Ray Davies, right through to his current role heading up Vector UK’s management roster within the Live Nation umbrella – where his roster includes James, Il Divo and Nic Mulvey.
Rudge is the recipient of over 270 gold and platinum album awards, an Olivier Award and the Innovator of the Year Award from Performance Magazine (predecessor to Pollstar) 2 years running.
Starting out at Track Records after graduating from Cambridge University, Rudge worked across the entire roster including Jimi Hendrix and Marc Bolan before ultimately managing The Who.
During eight groundbreaking years Peter quickly gained a reputation for originality and vision, notably with the band performing Tommy at venues such as the Metropolitan Opera House – simply unheard of for a rock band.
Rudge has has discovered and developed talent such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, taking them from a club band to stadium headliners in just five years, before a tragic plane crash killed three members of the band.
“Peter Rudge has enjoyed an extraordinary career.”
Billboard Breakthrough Award winners Il Divo are currently on their fourth world tour and are at 30million album sales, while Manchester band James – who Rudge has managed for 30 years – achieved a No.2 album debut and their biggest ever tour of the UK this year.
Jon Webster, President of the MMF, said “Peter Rudge has enjoyed an extraordinary career working with the cream of the world’s talent. We are very proud that he will be joining us to receive this award”.
Rudge added: ‘The only redeeming feature of getting old in this industry is you qualify for a freedom pass and can be considered for such a prestigious award as this. This acknowledgement by my peers is a fitting testament to my career, the great people who have worked for and with me, and of course those incredible artistes, whose careers I have been fortunate to be a part of. I am humbled and honored, and almost speechless … Thank you’
The Artist and Manager Awards will take place at the Troxy on Thursday 24th November 2016 and will again be supported by DICE.
Russ Tannen, Head Of Music said: We know how important the work of the MMF is in supporting managers and protecting their artists. At DICE we are fully committed to stamping out touts, something we know is just as vital to the MMF, so we’re delighted to be supporting their awards for a second year.”
Tickets for the Artist & Manager Awards 2016 are on sale now from https://amawards.org/.Music Business Worldwide
