Don Lichterman

Don Lichterman (born December 21, 1964) is an American book author and novelist, record label executive, music producer, theatrical producer, music historian and activist. Lichterman is best known for starting Sunset Recordings in 2007 (which by 2011 has grown to include 19 record labels and entertainment companies) along with establishing nonprofit organization the Sustainable Action Network in 2007.
Biography
Family
Don was born into an American family in Camden, New Jersey in 1964 before moving to Cherry Hill, New Jersey in 1970.
Education
In 1983, Don graduated from Cherry Hill High School West in New Jersey before attending the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland where he graduated in 1988. In 1995 he began his studies in the Media & Telecommunications MBA Program at the Stern Business School at New York University, while working at the PolyGram Holding Co. Don also had continued his credited graduate education via the University of Maryland’s University College Online Program towards an MS Degree in E-Commerce.
Music career
Lichterman began his career in the music industry as an assistant to two producers and studio management at Chalet Sound Studios in Manasquan, New Jersey. Before long, Don’s performance at Chalet (Booked First Recording Session in The United States of America with the FIRST Russian / Soviet Union band at that time (1988/1989) with Gorky Park) had earned him a head management position and he began to work at an administrative level. While working for MCA, Lichterman starting functioning as an A&R scout from the Business Affairs Department at MCA and started turning over new music demos to Paul Atkinson, the head of the label’s A&R department. Don held this position until 1994 when he left the music industry to live in the Santa Cruz Mountains in La Honda, California. The following year, Lichterman decided to returned to the major record label system while simultaneously enrolling in graduate studies at Stern / NYU in New York City. During this period he worked at Atlantic Records, designing their sales book and also recording voice-overs for the label’s monthly CD sampler. In search of more engaging work, Don then left Atlantic and began to work for PolyGram Holding Company in New York City as a floater. By 1998 Lichterman was working for Sire Records before he then founded the On-Demand Entertainment Company. After a few years, Don began to work for Warner Music Group in Burbank, California. As time progressed, Lichterman branched off and launched his Sunset Entertainment Companies. Lichterman also currently owns the Web Develop Now company and the Sustainable Action Network organization. Don was also a panel member at The New Jersey Bar Association Convention Bally’s Hotel and Casino - Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1998 & a Panel member for College Music Journal (CMJ) Convention The Marriott Hotel - New York City in 2001. Don was a volunteer vocalist in the choir for the There's No Business Like Snow Business Compilation CD to benefit the NYC La Guardia High School for the Performing Arts in 2003. He also was a volunteer at the Company Of Angels Theatre in Hollywood, California for three plays from 2001 - 2002. He has been a volunteer driver for medication delivery to homebound patients at the Aids Healthcare Foundation from 2002 - 2003. Don was also a volunteer for silent auctions at the T.J. Martell Foundation in 1997 and st the City Of Hope Foundation Dinner in 1993. He is also the radio Announcer, Host and DJ known as Don Edwards at KCLA - 98.1 in Hollywood, with his show syndicated throughout the number one radio market in the world from 1999-2002 and in 11 major radio markets. He was also credited as the staff producer, executive producer, voice over, and creative development person for the Atlantic Records group in 1997. he also promoted live concert showcases for artists like Steve Wynn, The Cages, Andy Prieboy, The Continental Drifters, Jump In The Water and more at The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre (1993) - Los Angeles, California. Don had also done consultation and staff management for the Pearl Jam / Filmmore Tour & Ticket (FT&T) ticketing of the 9 rescheduled shows in the fall of 1996.
Sunset Records
In 2007, Lichterman founded Sunset Records. The company's first ventures involved distributing licensed material through its Sunset Strategic Marketing (SSM) Company, Sunset Home Visual Entertainment (SHE), Sunset Live Entertainment Download Company, the Radio-Sunset Network and Sunset Music Publishing Company. In 2007, Sunset started its main proper label system. Sunset Records started releasing original music in the summer of 2007 while Sunset Urban Records opened its doors in May 2008. Sunset Classics and Sunset Jazz released their first titles in 2007, as did the Sunset Tropical label. Within its many divisions, Sunset has released material by top artists such as BabyJane, Down From Zero, Federal Moguls Federal Moguls, Grayscale, Richtaste, Mac Dividinz, Mista Latex, Gino Skarz, Los Marijanos, Alayna, Gina Thompson, Steve Tilleli, Pascal G., Original Black Pantah, I Kong, Mabrak, S. Rick Starmer, Michalis Terzis, Cryout, The Boy From Space, 3 All Mighty, Store Thousands, Panjoma, House On The Hill, Mark Simmons, Pepper, Kevin Hart, Deon Cole, Jamal Domon, Gerald Kelly, and licensed material by top brand artists such as Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Dreamgirls Remixed CD, Sign And Sign A Language: Spanish, and many more licensed material that also includes soundtrack recordings, How Weed Won The West Kevin Booth, American Drug War: The Last White Hope Kevin Booth, Dale: Songs From the Movie, Saturday Night Live and more. As of 2010, Sunset has 13 entertainment related companies within its label group and was on the Grammy Nomination Ballot in 259 categories in 2010/2011 and in more than 180 categories for 2011/2012 NARAS/Grammy.. His Label Group also had almost 170 entries for the 2009 Grammy Nomination Ballots for consideration for the 2010 Awards show. Don Lichterman and his label were featured in an news article from his home town newspaper, The Courier Post on May 12, 2007 Courier Post Article dated May 12, 2007. Lichterman also answered a Q&A with Sirge Magazine Sirge Magazine Q&A October Issue 2007 in the October 2007 issue Sirge Magazine Article October Issue 2007 along with speaking at a Webinar about how to use the "Internet to Create Widespread Publicity" PR Web Webinar. The structure and business plan built at Sunset Records since 2006, is now used as reference in the curriculum today at the Full Sail University Full Sail University located in Orlando, Florida.
Awards And Achievements
Author of the internationally published novel and book entitled, Three Weeks In June.
R.I.A.A. Certified Gold Record Award (Over 500,000 Units Sold) for Skid Row - Skid Row, Grateful Dead - Golden Years 13 CD Box Set (1965-1995). R.I.A.A. Certified Platinum Record Award (Over 1 Million Units Sold) for Jon Bon Jovi - New Jersey, Multi-Platinum Record Award (Over 2 Million Units Sold) for Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Into The Great Wide Open. R.I.A.A. Certified Multi-Platinum Record Award (Over 3 Million Units Sold) for Hootie and The Blowfish - Fairweather Johnson, R.I.A.A. Certified Multi-Platinum Record Award (Over 6 Million Units Sold) for the Space Jam - Original Soundtrack, R.I.A.A. Certified Multi-Platinum Record Award (Over 2 Million Units Sold) for Elton John - The One and R.I.A.A. Certified Multi-Platinum Record Award (Over 9 Million Units Sold) for Jon Bon Jovi - New Jersey.
International Awards include Philippine Certified Gold Record Award (Over 25,000 Units Sold) for The Little Mermaid - Original Soundtrack. ARIA Certified International Gold Record Award (Over 500,000 Units Sold) for Limp Bizkit - Take A look Around (Theme From MI:2) and Limp Bizkit - Three Dollar Bill. ARIA Certified International Platinum Record Award (Over 500,000 Units Sold) for Limp Bizkit - Significant Other. ARIA Certified International Multi-Platinum Record Award (Over 3 Million Units Sold)
for Limp Bizkit - Presents Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water.
An all Around Achievement Award for "MCA Music Entertainment’s Most Successful Year Ever" for artist development efforts, business and legal affairs efforts for artists like Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Bobby Brown, Elton John, Jimmy Buffett, Eric B. and Rakim, George Strait, Lyle Lovett, Marc Chestnutt, Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Chante Moore, Patty Smyth, Wynnona Judd, Trisha Yearwood, Wrecks N’ Effect and Marty Stuart.
Don has been a long time N.A.R.A.S. / GRAMMY Member since 1989 and was the Grammy Host Committee Coordinator in 1995.
Participant and lobbyist at the 2010 GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day in Washington DC preserving wireless microphone frequencies along with major forward movement on securing a radio performance royalty. Honorees for the 2010 GRAMMYs on the Hill award ceremony were the two-time GRAMMY winner Garth Brooks, Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and U.S. Representative Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day Participant in 2011 to help Create a Performance Rights for Sound Recordings on Terrestrial Radio and for The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) while also recognizing Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bob Corker, and GRAMMY winning recording artist Don Henley.

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