Greg Blackmore — Western Promotions Manager for Universal Music Canada and a major player in the Canadian music industry for 30 years — has died unexpectedly, as confirmed by UMC.
Blackmore was a dedicated supporter of the Arkells in their early days, and in light of his passing, the band posted a Twitter thread in tribute to him, describing him as "a completely singular and legendary character in Canadian music."
The thread includes a video from an Arkells show in Calgary that shows frontman Max Kerman inviting Blackmore on stage, and announcing, "Greg Blackmore has been working in Canadian rock radio for the last 30 years, and he's worked his ass off for the Arkells." The two share a hug as Kerman tells the crowd, "Greg is a legend and we're better for knowing him."
The thread continues, telling the story of how Blackmore would tour the band through Calgary whenever they visited, introducing them to industry professionals and pushing program directors to play the band's music.
It's a very sweet tribute, and the band ends the thread by saying, "Thank you Greg for all you've done to help countless artists, including Arkells, to make sure the Calgary show was always as good as it gets. We already miss your smiling face."
UMC also shared a statement remembering Blackmore, with Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Remedios writing:
Universal Music Canada mourns the unexpected passing of our long-time colleague, Greg Blackmore.
A staple of our radio promotion department for close to 20 years, Greg's passion, commitment, and keen understanding of this country's radio landscape, made him a vital member of our team. From his home base in Langdon, Alberta, where he managed radio promotion for Canada's Western region, Greg was beloved by artists, managers, program directors, and colleagues around the world.
We feel profoundly fortunate Greg shared his talent and time with us as part of our promo team and UMC family for so much of his impressive career. There was no one quite like Greg, and his absence will be deeply felt.
We extend heartfelt sympathies to Greg's family, friends and loved ones, and to the countless industry colleagues who will miss him as much as we will.
See the Arkells' tribute below.
Blackmore was a dedicated supporter of the Arkells in their early days, and in light of his passing, the band posted a Twitter thread in tribute to him, describing him as "a completely singular and legendary character in Canadian music."
The thread includes a video from an Arkells show in Calgary that shows frontman Max Kerman inviting Blackmore on stage, and announcing, "Greg Blackmore has been working in Canadian rock radio for the last 30 years, and he's worked his ass off for the Arkells." The two share a hug as Kerman tells the crowd, "Greg is a legend and we're better for knowing him."
The thread continues, telling the story of how Blackmore would tour the band through Calgary whenever they visited, introducing them to industry professionals and pushing program directors to play the band's music.
It's a very sweet tribute, and the band ends the thread by saying, "Thank you Greg for all you've done to help countless artists, including Arkells, to make sure the Calgary show was always as good as it gets. We already miss your smiling face."
UMC also shared a statement remembering Blackmore, with Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Remedios writing:
Universal Music Canada mourns the unexpected passing of our long-time colleague, Greg Blackmore.
A staple of our radio promotion department for close to 20 years, Greg's passion, commitment, and keen understanding of this country's radio landscape, made him a vital member of our team. From his home base in Langdon, Alberta, where he managed radio promotion for Canada's Western region, Greg was beloved by artists, managers, program directors, and colleagues around the world.
We feel profoundly fortunate Greg shared his talent and time with us as part of our promo team and UMC family for so much of his impressive career. There was no one quite like Greg, and his absence will be deeply felt.
We extend heartfelt sympathies to Greg's family, friends and loved ones, and to the countless industry colleagues who will miss him as much as we will.
See the Arkells' tribute below.
