Jeff Cheen, a prominent music executive known for his role in introducing Western pop music to China, passed away from cancer on October 16, 2023. He was 80 years old.
Born in New York in 1945, Cheen launched his music career as a teenager, starting at Chess Records in Chicago under the guidance of his uncle, Leonard Chess. He soon relocated to Los Angeles, where he took on the position of National Promotion Director for Tetragrammaton Records. In this role, he worked with notable artists, including John Lennon, Deep Purple, Joan Rivers, and Tiny Tim.
Cheen later ascended to leadership roles at Mercury Records in Hollywood, where he oversaw record production and artist signings, before becoming the head of rock artists and repertoire at Capitol Records. His impressive roster expanded to include artists like Pink Floyd, Steve Miller, and George Harrison.
After his time at Capitol, Cheen led the management division at Far Out Music, where he managed the careers of major talents such as War and Rick James. He gained a reputation for organizing live events, and his work on the inaugural Pacific Rim Festival in Los Angeles led to a consulting role with the People”s Republic of China”s Ministry of Culture and the Australian government”s Ausmusic.
Cheen spent 13 years in China, where his company, InterStar Music, became the first Western music organization to form a joint venture with China to distribute pop and rock music across Asia. During this period, he played a significant role in introducing American musical genres such as blues, jazz, and reggae to the Chinese music scene. He produced two reggae albums, a jazz album, and a country album featuring Chinese artists and collaborated with the groundbreaking rock band Tang Dynasty.
In addition to his production work, Cheen was active as a lecturer on the music industry across Asia and Australia. Upon returning to the United States, he served as Vice President of Business Development for BB King”s Blues Clubs. His company, InterStar Arts Alliance, later pivoted to focus on marketing for musicians, eventually relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he continued to teach the Business of Music at Catawba College.
In 2006, Cheen founded the Charlotte Music Awards and was a founding board member of the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. He was also a member of the Pacific Coast Group, an organization dedicated to helping musical artists recover royalties owed to them for their work in Asia.
Cheen is survived by his wife, Chunghong, two sons from a previous marriage, Justin and Garrett, and two grandchildren, Henry and Eva. The family has requested that donations in Cheen”s memory be made to Autism Speaks.
