Trade Regrets: Milt Okun

Milt Okun, founder of Cherry Lane Music Publishing, passed away on November 15^th, at the age of 92.

Prior to entering music publishing, Okun found success in the 1950s and ‘60s as a performer and producer. His producing career continued after establishing Cherry Lane in 1960 – which eventually was known primarily for having publishing rights to the catalog of John Denver. Cherry Lane’s portfolio grew to include works by the likes of Elvis Presley, Barbara Streisand, John Mayer, The White Stripes, Metallica, and Quincy Jones, among many others. BMG acquired Cherry Lane in 2010, for an estimated price somewhere between $85 and 100 million.

To view a clip of Milt Okun’s NAMM Oral History interview, click here: https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/milt-okun