Randy Nicklaus

May 6, 1952 – October 5, 2014

Randy Nicklaus, 62, died in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 5th, following a brief illness. Randy was a songwriter, artist, engineer, producer, A&R executive and manager who worked with Hank Williams, Jr., Bee Gees, Blondie, Clint Black, Poco, John Mellencamp, the cranberries, Aretha Franklin, Meat Loaf, Stephanie Mills, Mötley Crüe, Duran Duran, Dave Koz, Luther Vandross, INXS, Three Dog Night, James Michael (Sixx:AM) and many others during a 40-year career.

Born in Culver City, CA he grew-up next door to the historic Culver Studios and observed the excitement of actors, props and gear navigating across Washington Blvd between the various soundstages and was impressed by the performers rehearsing their lines to perfection while strolling the neighborhood sidewalks. It was also there that he first borrowed his big sister, Rayne’s, guitar and a chord struck deeply.

His family soon moved to Woodland Hills, which at the time, was still surrounded by farms and orchards. Riding bikes on the barren hills and streets to nowhere Randy formed bonds with some long time friends and band mates while the west San Fernando Valley grew up along with them. He breezed through El Camino high school, sometimes making music but mostly figuring out how to build or acquire anything motorized.

Randy eventually focused on music and began a songwriting and performance career. He fronted a rock band called Fat Jack that played all over California and opened for some of the biggest national touring acts of the time. Later he toured as a guitarist with several major acts.

It was at the original Heritage Recording studios that Randy earned his stripes as a recording engineer and learned everything about recording gear from the inside out under the tutelage of John Windt. He also landed a music publishing deal with the studio’s owner: Johnny Mercer. As his studio and production work grew, Randy began devoting his skills to working with performers, helping them create their best, most honest and compelling music. He also instructed many up and coming engineers while teaching at the Recording Institute and always continued to coach and mentor young engineers and artists.

Randy spent 14 years as Sr. VP of The Left Bank Organization, a premiere artist management company and record label, which included Beyond Music, distributed by BMG and later Universal; Impact Records, a joint venture with MCA/Universal along with production deals with Atlantic, Polydor, RCA, 20th Century Fox and EMI. He worked with the executive team on overall company management, budgeting, A&R and artist development as well as record production, music supervision and special projects such as Starbucks’ Live at Sundance release (one of the first in-store CD’s at Starbucks), Stone Country, and music supervision for the 20th Century Fox remake of Miracle On 34th Street.

Randy was passionate about music, and a tenacious artist advocate throughout his career. He cared deeply for the musicians he collaborated with, and was always available for skillful guidance and advice. For the past 12 years he and his wife, Laure, ran Motorized Music Group, a boutique management company working with a few select artists

He will be remembered for his extraordinary sense of humor [both high and lowbrow], and a sharp and witty intellect. Randy was exacting but also patient and had an uncanny ability to bring out the creative best in every artist with whom he worked, Above all, he had a passion for life. The tiniest details never eluded him and he always appreciated beauty, whether it was a brilliant vocal performance, a pristinely mixed recording, a stunning sunset viewed from his Glendale home or a mouthwatering rack of ribs.

Randy is survived by his business partner and wife of twenty years, Laure Dunham, his mother, Marilyn Leavitt, his sister Rayne Cumberworth, half-brothers Ward Leavitt and Mike Grossnicklaus, and half-sister Megan Kleinschmidt, He will be greatly missed by his many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews for whom he was sometimes an “alterna-dad” and always a friend.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 8th at 11:30 am at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, 6657 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, CA.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Pasadena Humane Society or the American Liver Foundation.