Biff Kennedy My Story

With 50 years experience in major label and independent radio promotion, artist management, event production and project management I have been privileged to work with a large and diverse repertoire of the biggest and most creative and influential recording artists in the history of popular music.

I started in the music industry in the mailroom of Schwartz Brothers, Inc, an independent record distributor, after graduation from Temple University. I then joined CBS Records as the Manager of the Promotion Department for the mid-Atlantic region, where I served for 14 years. We were responsible for the development and success of a diverse and amazing company of artists including Michael Jackson, the Clash, Sade, Cheap Trick, Jeff Beck, Boston, Steve Forbert, the O’Jays, Ozzy Osbourne, Cyndi Lauper, Living Colour, Gloria Estefan, Lou Rawls, REO, ELO, XTC, MFSB and literally hundreds of other pop, R&B and rock icons of our time.

Since starting Charterhouse Music Group in 1990, I have been blessed to continue working with and learning from the most creative and distinguished artists, labels and executives in contemporary popular music.

My favorite thing to do is work with visionary and crazy and passionate artists who love what they do, and do this above all else. I have learned so much in my years in management representing echolyn and signing them to Epic/550/SONY Music, Birdie Busch licensed to Bar/None and still making singularly authentic art, burningbus! rockin’ in the early days of the jamband scene.

In the 2000’s I represented the late Dave Carter and his partner Tracy Grammer (signed to Signature Sounds and Red House Records), John Flynn (signed to Sliced Bread Records), Hoots & Hellmouth (signed to Mad Dragon/The Orchard), and The Stray Birds (signed to Yep Roc Music Group). Most recently I served as project manager and consultant for Rachel Garlin, a resonant and singular writer and performer based in San Francisco.

My company has produced several major concert events in Philadelphia, including the first two years of the WXPN Summer Concert at the Mann, and the 25th Anniversary show for WMMR at the Spectrum, and co-produced the Rock and Roll Auction with Larry Magid for six years. I enjoyed doing a ‘prog rock’ radio show on WXPN in Philadelphia one day a year with Dan Reed, Chuck van Zyl and John Diliberto as we had done for eight years. I was the Stage Manager for the AIDS Walk at Eakins Oval for 29 years, and have also volunteered with Production/Artist Services for the Philadelphia Folk Festival for 14 years.

For seven years I taught college level music business classes as an Adjunct Professor, Music Industry at Drexel University, MBET Major at University of the Arts, and Millersville University’s MBET program, and as a guest lecturer at the University of the Arts, Cabrini College, Albright College, the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and Temple University.

I am a Chairman Emeritus of the Philadelphia Music Alliance, and a past Board Member of The Recording Academy (Grammy®), the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, and the Folk Alliance International Board in Kansas City, MO.

This is the cover story from the hardreport, the AAA industry journal, from the Summer of 1994.

My CV is available upon request for more details on my past industry activity and education.