09/27/17 Ken Kragen - Super Manager Behind "We Are The World", "Hands Across America"
A graduate of\xa0Harvard Business School,\xa0Ken Kragen's illustrious career far transcends the music and entertainment industries where he has spent many incredibly successful years. He has managed some of the world's most important entertainers, including\xa0Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Trisha Yearwood, Olivia Newton John, The Bee Gees, Burt Reynolds, The Smothers Brothers\xa0and many others. He was the creator and organizer of the historic humanitarian projects\xa0"We Are the World", "Hands Across America",\xa0and Cisco System's\xa0"NetAid".\xa0Amazingly over 95% of the acts he managed have become stars, and 90% of the projects he created and spearheaded have achieved success.
Kragen has also produced a variety of film and television projects, ranging from the ground-breaking\xa0"Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"\xa0on CBS to Kenny Rogers five '"Gambler"\xa0movies, and numerous series, mini-series and films.
Ken now teaches a terrific 10-week undergraduate course at the\xa0Herb Alpert School of Music on the UCLA campus.\xa0Called\xa0\u201cStardom Strategies for Musicians\u201d
Kragen is most proud of receiving the\xa0United Nations Peace Medal\xa0for the creation of "Hands Across America", and "We Are the World", making him one of a mere handful of private citizens to receive this honor. Among dozens of other awards Ken Kragen has been celebrated by the\xa0NAACP, the Los Angeles Advertising Women, and the Boys And Girls Club of America. He received two\xa0MTV Awards,\xa0an\xa0American Music Award,\xa0several\xa0Emmy nominations,\xa0EBONY's American Black Achievement Award, Manager of the Year Award\xa0from the\xa0Conference of Personal Managers\xa0and the\xa0International Citizen Of The Year Award\xa0from the\xa0International Visitors Council.\xa0He was\xa0Alumnus of the Year\xa0at his Alma matter, the\xa0University of California, Berkeley.\xa0He is the only individual ever elected President of both the\xa0Country Music Association\xa0and\xa0Academy of Country Music. He has served on several charity Boards including\xa0The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation,\xa0Community In Schools\xa0and\xa0USA for Africa