A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was unveiled Thursday honoring music mogul Tommy Mottola, credited with discovering and guiding the careers of such artists as Hall and Oates, Carly Simon, John Mellencamp, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.
"Getting this star becomes an indelible seal of approval for my journey,'' Mottola said at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony next to the W Hotel at the famed corner of Hollywood & Vine. "This star becomes part of my legacy and it will live on for my children and for their children. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude."
Music producer David Foster and Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O'Farrell preceded Mottola in speaking. The star is near the star of Mottola's wife, the Mexican entertainer Thalia, who attended the ceremony, along with singer Gloria Estefan and her producer husband, Emilio Estefan, music producer L.A. Reid, producer and songwriter Rodney Jerkins and designer Tommy Hilfiger.
The star is the 2,676th since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961 with the first 1,558 stars.
Born July 14, 1949, in the Bronx, Mottola because a recording artist for Epic Records when he was 18, using the name T.D. Valentine. He later started working for the music publishers Chappell Publishing and started his own management company, Champion Entertainment Organization.
Mottola was hired by CBS Records in 1988 to run its U.S. operations and became the chairman and CEO of the renamed Sony Music Entertainment in 1990, revitalizing its publishing division by acquiring the music catalogues of The Beatles and Michael Jackson. He also enabled Sony to become one of the first major labels to make available commercial digital downloads.
In Mottola's nearly 15-year tenure, he is credited with tripling the company's revenue, selling an estimated 8 billion CDs resulting and expanding Sony Music Entertainment's operation to more than 60 nations.
News
Top news of the day
Mottola's other accomplishments at Sony Music Entertainment included creating the world's largest rock merchandising company, Sony Signatures, and the children's label, Sony Wonder.
Other artists signed and developed by Mottola include Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.
After leaving Sony, Mottola founded the Mottola Media Group, whose interests include recorded music, television production, theater and fashion.
