BMG says that while some of the Hooker rights will still remain with third parties, the German company will now take the lead role in promoting the artist’s catalog.
“As the longtime managers of the John Lee Hooker Estate, JAM, Inc. was happy to help the Estate and BMG conclude this transaction,”: JAM CEOsaid in a statement on the deal. “We are very pleased that an artist-first company like BMG will be the stewards of this great legacy moving forward, and we are grateful to remain in a consulting and management role of the John Lee Hooker legacy, in partnership with BMG, moving forward.
BMG has been active in acquiring music assets since its revival in 2009 and its latest deals include acquiring the rights from Mick Fleetwood, Tina Turner, Mötley Crüe, and ZZ Top. BMG notes that Hooker is known to his fans as the “King of the Boogie” and besides being one of the “true superstars of the blues genre [is] the ultimate beholder of cool.
“BMG is proud to be the definitive home of John Lee Hooker’s music, one of the key inspirations and foundation stones of popular music,” BMG president of repertoire and marketingsaid in a statement. “BMG will ensure John Lee Hooker’s legacy is honored and respected wherever and whenever John Lee Hooker’s music is used, performed, recorded or sold.”