Don Kirshner, 'Man with the Golden Ear,' Dies at 76

Rock producer and promoter Don Kirshner, once described by Time magazine as "The Man with the Golden Ear," died Monday at the age of 76. On Monday, Kirshner passed away of heart failure in Boca Raton, Florida. He was a key force in the early days of rock, setting the foundation of what the business is today and played a role in the lives of most music lovers, such as myself.

The Man with the Golden Ear

In the '50s, Kirshner began writing songs with Bobby Darin, who went on to fame with the song "Splish Splash." Kirshner continued developing a stable of talented songwriters, including Neil Sedaka and Gerry Goffin. These were songwriters behind such hits as "The Loco-motion" and "Breaking Up is Hard to Do."

Now, I wasn't even born yet when Kirshner was promoting these talents, but their songs still shaped my childhood decades later. Most memorably at car show street dances in the '80s, where these classic oldies would play to the crowd. As children we thrilled at dancing in the street while the adults showed us their moves.

According to Howard Kramer, curatorial director at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Kirshner will be mainly remembered for "nurturing and developing an early, unprecedented amount of artists, mostly songwriters, and also a television pioneer for bringing live rock 'n' roll to television."

I'm not sure Kirshner would appreciate the sentiment, having been quite bitter about not being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Perhaps he will receive the honor posthumously. Kirshner was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Kirshner Behind The Monkees' Early Success

"Hey, hey, we're the Monkees and people say we monkey around!" blared from my childhood television every weekday afternoon. The television show may have originally run in the '60s, but the re-runs were there for me when I stepped off the school bus in the '80s. I would run around the house loudly (and badly) singing the theme song hours after the program was over.

Don Kirshner was hired to create The Monkees sound at the beginning of the show's conception. Although he parted ways with it in 1966, he had already paired the made-for-TV band with the hits we all sang. These include "Last Train to Clarksville," "I'm a Believer" and "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone."

Kirshner Paves Way for MTV

I don't remember "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert," and I can't recall a single moment of his hosting and promoting of some of my favorite bands, including The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kiss and The Ramones. Of course, that could be because the show, which exposed audiences to live performances that they may not have otherwise been exposed to, went of the air in 1982.

But I do remember MTV. I should, having spent my first 15 years diligently absorbing as many music videos as possible. It formed my taste in music, fashion and ruled my daily schedule.

MTV first aired the same year Don Kirshner's program ended. It wasn't quite the passing of the torch, but it's doubtful Music Television would have came so soon without rock music-centered programs like Kirshner's.

Looking back, Don Kirshner's life work affected my life years after and up to during the times he influenced music. As will it continue to do so for generations after mine.