Don Zimmerman, the former president of Capitol/EMI Records who oversaw a commercial boom for the label in the ‘70s and ‘80s, died on Dec. 11 at age 85, his wife Rosa Zimmerman announced Monday (Dec. 14). Zimmerman was fighting a respiratory infection over the last two weeks of his life.
“We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Don Zimmerman, who passed away yesterday,” reads a statement posted to the Capitol Records Twitter account. “Don contributed greatly to Capitol’s legacy, having joined our company in 1965 and served as its President from 1976 to 1987. He was loved, admired and respected by the label’s artists and staff, as well as the industry at large.”
“RIP Don Zimmerman,” wrote Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, who is Zimmerman’s nephew, on Twitter. “You changed my life forever by sending me albums when I was a kid in Idaho with a big dream and then by bringing me to Los Angeles to live with you, you actually changed rock n roll in the 80’s. God bless your family and friends. Thank you.”
Kicking off his stint at Capitol/EMI as a salesman and district sales manager in San Francisco in the 1960s, Zimmerman rose to the top of the heap in 1976, when he was appointed executive vp and COO of Capitol Records. He later served as president of Capitol Records and president of Capitol/EMI North America between 1982 and 1987. Working out Capitol’s iconic Hollywood headquarters, he headed up a golden age at the label that saw major releases from artists including Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Heart, The Steve Miller Band and Natalie Cole, among many others.
“As two young men who started working at Capitol as kids, we shared a similar journey as he worked his way through the ranks to became VP of sales and then president of the company,” wrote Steve Miller in a statement emailed to Billboard. “When I signed Allan Livingston had just been fired and Capitol Records was a mess and needed guidance and discipline. The Tower was full of young, ambitious, artists and executives all vying for attention and company resources to advance our careers. It was Don’s ability to marshal the forces, organize the troops, manufacture and sell the the art we created that saved the day. Thanks in a large part to Don’s patience and ability to lead, we all achieved great success. It was not an easy task and he put up with a lot from me. I’m thankful for his effort on my behalf. His life’s journey was an amazing story of determination and talent and hard work and in the end he presided over the one of the greatest sales periods in Capitol Records history. We had many great days together. He is missed.”
In 1987, Zimmerman was named president of EMI International Marketing out of the label’s London office. He left the company in 1989 to work in artist management.
A lover of the ocean, boating, scuba diving and tennis, Zimmerman is survived by his wife Rosa; their children Richard, Michele, Eva and Stephanie; grandchildren Hayley, Jack, Ashley, Daniel, Max and Mayahuel; and great-grandchild Abby. A small family funeral is being held, while a larger service is being planned for when COVID-19 allows.
