Jay Morgenstern was the Executive Vice President/General Manager of Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., the world’s largest music publisher and President of Warner Bros. Publications Inc., the Print Division of Warner/Chappell.
He started out in Public Accounting, serving artists, publishers and record companies, and in 1958 became the Executive Vice President/General Manager of Tommy Valando’s music publishing companies and record company. In 1959, Frank Military joined the Valando organization; Jay and Frank have been partners and worked together ever since.
Morgenstern’s long career has seen him serve as President of ARC’S Music Publishing and International Records Divisions; he served in the same capacity at Infinity Records and Publishing. These positions followed a highly successful venture with Frank Military and other partners in Music Maximus, a company that started with the purchase from Johnny Rivers of “Up, Up, Away”, “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” and other Jimmy Webb hits. This venture flourished with the acquisition of the broad rights to the hit show “Godspell”, leading the firm to a successful music publishing management, record production and theatrical leasing, Broadway and film production. The firm was sold to Sam LeFrak, Koppelman & Bandier.
In 1982 Morgenstern joined Warner Bros. Music with Chuck Kaye and Les Bider and served on the Board of Directors of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and ASCAP and for many years served on the CMA Board of Directors.
He said his proudest achievement in the music business was his association with “Fiddler On The Roof,” “Cabaret” and “Godspell” and his unprecedented long time partnership with Military, culminating with his present association with Les Bider and all the incredible people in the Warner/Chappell family all over the world.
Morgenstern passed away in July of 2017.