The Guitar Center Music Foundation Appoints Croshal to its Board of Directors

The Guitar Center Music Foundation(GCMF), a nonprofit organization that advances the healing, transformative power of music by granting instruments to music education and music therapy programs in need, announces further expansion of its Board of Directors. Fred Croshal, a 45-year music industry veteran and President/CEO of marketing/management firm Croshal Entertainment Group, has been appointed to the organization’s leadership body. The announcement was made by David Helfant, Chairman of the Board of Directors at The Guitar Center Music Foundation, and signifies the ongoing growth of the foundation and its Board.

Fred Croshal’s rich history in the industry goes back over 45 years. He began his career as a retail sales representative at a local record store in the Bay Area before securing his first position at CBS Records. Soon after, he obtained executive positions at Sony Music Distribution and Columbia Records, working with artists such as Michael Jackson, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Stevie Ray Vaughan and many more. In 1996, Madonna hired him at the Maverick Recording Company, where he soon became General Manager, overseeing all departments, including sales, press, radio, marketing, creative, etc. At Maverick, he was able to build and nurture the careers of artists like Alanis Morissette, Deftones, Candlebox, Michelle Branch and more.

In 2003, he took his vast knowledge of sales, marketing, and promotions and founded Croshal Entertainment Group, a marketing and management company that could provide an infrastructure and alternative way for artists to release their music competitively. Croshal Entertainment Group has sold upwards of 6 million records independently to date and has helped guide releases from artists like Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Herb Alpert, Collective Soul, Gnarls Barkley, Jason Mraz, Crosby, Stills and Nash, The Immediate Family and many more. In 2017, Fred was featured as one of Billboard magazine’s “Indie Power Players,” a short list of top influential music professionals leading the industry.

Marking 20 years of the Croshal Entertainment Group, Fred continues to nurture and share his passion. He serves as a proud GRAMMY Mentor and advocate for the industry, lending his voice to speak up for artists at all levels. And whether it is by giving lectures at well-known universities or by being a guest on industry podcasts, he shares his wealth of knowledge with the next generation on a regular basis.

David Helfant, Chairman of the Board of Directors at The Guitar Center Music Foundation, remarked, “Fred Croshal is a long-tenured music industry executive with a track record of outside-of-the-box thinking and embracing ideas that put the artist and the fans first. Furthermore, he is eminently generous with his time and resources, sharing his experiences and wisdom every chance he gets. He is passionate about music and music education, embodies integrity and honesty in our industry, and we are very lucky to have him on our Board.”