Longtime artist manager and label exec Gary Kurfirst passed away on Tuesday, January 13 at the age of 61, while on vacation in the Bahamas. Kurfirst had a long and varied career in the music industry, most notably as a manager of acts such as Talking Heads, the Ramones, Live, Jane's Addiction, Blondie, The Eurythmics and The B-52's.

Kurfirst got his start in the music world at the age of 20, staging the New York Rock Festival, headlined by Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Who and Janis Joplin. He was also involved with Island's Chris Blackwell's efforts to bring Reggae acts to the States, including Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.

Kurirst helped produce films with Talking Heads, including their seminal concert film Stop Making Sense and David Byrne's True Stories. In 1990, he launched Radioactive Records at MCA with Live, helping launch their career. He also signed Shirley Manson in her pre-Garbage days.

A number of artists have written tributes to Kurfirst. Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club wrote, "Gary Kurfirst has been our manager since 1977. He never failed to take care of business for us. He protected us. He allowed Talking Heads to be Talking Heads while he took the blows that the music business dealt us.  Together we suffered heartbreaks and celebrated great triumphs. Gary truly was the fifth Talking Head. We were very close friends and we will miss him terribly."

The legendary Seymour Stein wrote, "Gary was brilliant in his ability to spot changes in music ahead of most people and had the courage to act on his instincts.  Gary was tough, but not cut-throat in business.  He could fight hard, but fair and never held grudges.  Gary had great style. Certainly one of the best and most successful relationships I ever enjoyed with a manager, working together on Talking Heads, The Ramones or Deborah Harry. Can honestly say he will be surely missed."

Ed Kowalczyk, Live frontman, said, "In my view, Gary's greatest strength and the thing I will remember most about him was his unwavering loyalty. When he fell in love, whether it was an artist, a song, a painting or a grandchild, he did it totally and joined with what he loved completely. He literally became one with the things he loved. I used to joke with him that when I got kicked, he screamed out in pain. To say that I will miss his guidance, his wisdom and his love is an understatement to the maximum degree."