Mark Lipsitz, who was recently appointed CEO of Bar/None Records and worked with bands including Ivy and the Feelies, has died. He was 61.
Lipsitz died after suffering a heart attack on July 5, according to a representative. In a statement shared on social media, Bar/None Records remembered his contributions to the label that he joined in 2001.
“The Bar/None family is heartbroken to share the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Mark Lipsitz,” they wrote. “Mark was a fierce artist advocate and championed the music he discovered, pushing everyone he knew to be the best musician and the best person they could be. The music industry is losing a coach, an ambassador, and an ally. But Mark created friendships and networks of people that would never thrive as they do without his influence. The work he leaves behind will enrich us all forever.”
Throughout his career, Lipsitz was a noted advocate for artists in posts at several music companies, with his longest tenure at Bar/None. He signed Ivy, which counted the late Adam Schlesinger as a member, to Atlantic subsidiary Seed in 1994, and worked with musicians including Dar Williams and the Front Bottoms.
Born in 1963, Lipsitz was a longtime New Yorker by way of Memphis, TN. While attending the University of Kansas, he ran the college radio station KJHK. His first foray into the music industry was with a sales job at Important Distribution, followed by Seed, whose roster included Ivy, Madder Rose and the Pastels.
Lipsitz left Seed for Razor + Tie, working with musicians including Dar Williams and Continental Drifters, before heading over to Bar/None, which was founded in 2001. While at Bar/None, he marketed artists like the Langley School Music Project and Architecture in Helsinki. He also launched a vinyl reissue program for records from Of Montreal, the Feelies and Alex Chilton. He recently reunited with Ivy in anticipation of the group’s upcoming album “Traces of You,” set for release in September 2025.
Tributes poured in on social media from artists and executives who have worked with Lipsitz over the years. “In 2025 we still have a career because of Mark’s instincts, love and commitment to our musical vision,” wrote Ivy on Instagram. “There would be no IVY without Mark Lipsitz…no Fountains Of Wayne without Mark Lipsitz…so many of the dominos that fell because of Mark Lipsitz wouldn’t have fallen, including me and Dominique’s beautiful children, our carers today….the list is endless.”
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From Variety US