Artists, the management community and the wider music business congregated for the 2016 edition of the Artist And Manager Awards at London's Troxy last night.
The MMF and FAC event honoured Vector Management's Peter Rudge with the prestigious Peter Grant Award. Rudge has worked with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Duran Duran and Roger Waters in a 45-year career, and was presented with the award by leading booking agent and Isle Of Wight Festival promoter John Giddings.
Executives including Sony Music's Rob Stringer, Universal Music's David Joseph, UTA's Neil Warnock, Capitol's Steve Barnett, CAA's Rob Light, Syco's Sonny Takhar, Modest Management's Richard Griffiths, The Who's manager Bill Curbishley, Decca's Rebecca Allen and Canadian concert promoter Michael Cohl, of S2BN Entertainment, were among those to give video testimonials, along with artists such as Pete Townshend, Roger Waters, Tim Booth and Nick Rhodes.
"If you live long enough, they'll give you something," quipped Rudge, before delivering a lengthy acceptance speech. Current Rudge clients Imelda May and James then played a short set to close out the night.
Earlier, following a tribute to the members of the music industry who have passed away in the last year, Big Life's Tim Parry announced the firm had partnered with the MMF to launch the Jazz Summers Future Genius Award in memory of the legendary Big Life co-founder and former MMF chairman, who died last year. The award will educate a paid intern for six months, split between the two organisations.
Elsewhere, Adele's manager Jonathan Dickins, of September Management, claimed Manager Of The Year, Joan Armatrading picked up the Artists' Artist Award (presented by BBC Radio 2's Bob Harris), The 1975 were awarded Artist Of The Year and the late David Enthoven was named Industry Champion. Young Turks' founder Caius Pawson took the Entrepreneur Award. "Artists are the true entrepreneurs, they create something out of nothing," Pawson said in his acceptance speech after receiving the prize from XL Recordings owner Richard Russell.
Other winners included Years & Years (Breakthrough Artist), Stormzy's manager Tobe Onwuka (Breakthrough Manager), Zita McHugh (Writer/Producer) and Loyle Carner (Dice FM Live Award).
