David Chackler

David Saul Chackler (April 24, 1945 – April 27, 2024) was an American music and film executive. He was best known for launching the careers of several artists, including Queen, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, and 2 Live Crew.

Early life David Saul Chackler was born in Philadelphia on April 24, 1945. He graduated from Northeast High School and attended Penn State University.

In 1972, Chackler created his own production and publishing company, Chalice Productions (ABC Records/Dona Marta Music) with partner Lee Lasseff. Their first venture was the chart topping single, "Billy Don’t be a Hero". During this period, while working with producer Keith Olsen, he was introduced to an unknown duo known then as Buckingham-Nicks. Chackler recognized immediately their potential and signed them to the independent label he and Lasseff had at that time, Anthem Records, which was distributed through Polydor Records. The debut album, Buckingham Nicks was released in September 1973. Olsen was later producing and engineering a Fleetwood Mac record, at Sound City Studios when together he and Chackler introduced the duo to Mick Fleetwood.

With the music industry, Chackler had become saturated in the British Invasion, realizing the opportunity in extending music across the globe. While working in Europe, he entered into a venture with Trident Studios in London which achieved the discovery of Freddie Mercury and Queen, bringing their new sound to audiences in the United States.

During this period, Chackler delved further into the UK music scene by setting up a joint venture publishing arrangement with Bryan Morrison and Bryan Morrison Music. This entity was Front Wheel Music and held the North American rights for English Punk Band, The Jam (led by Paul Weller), Robin Gibb, and many others. The Jam's initial release came in 1977 through Polydor Records.

In the early 1980s, after securing distribution agreements from Capitol and CBS Records, Chackler launched WMOT Records through a CBS Deal. CBS launched the single,"Double Dutch Bus" by Frankie Smith. He also had a distribution agreement with Capitol records for Chalice, where he worked with artists including, Steven Fromholz (from the redneck rock world in Austin, TX). The book, entitled "The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock", first published in 1974, includes Chackler's (Chalice Records) influence.

Chackler soon joined forces with Joe Isgro, and was named president of the CBS Label, – Warner Bros., and the label’s roster expanded to include Pop, Urban, R&B, Dance, Jazz and World Music, and Hip Hop. The American funk band, War, was one of those on this roster, and within 18 months of working with Avenue, War’s album, "Best of War and More", had certified gold status. Other titles under this label included "Runnin Away", performed by artist Lillie McCloud, known in the industry only as Nicole. "Runnin Away" held on Billboard Magazine’s dance charts for more than four months.

Chackler began International Entertainment Group, which was the home of two independent niche companies, Slipdisc Records (a division of Mercury Records) and nuGroove, which was distributed by Sony/RED. At the end of the 20th century, nuGroove was one of the main labels in the Smooth Jazz genre. Zephyr combined what was familiar in traditional music business with the power and reach of the internet.

Rhythm and Groove Records was formed in 2001 as the initial step by David Chackler. Almost immediately, it achieved much success in the "Rare Request Series of Compilations".

In 2004, Chackler sold the rhythm and groove label to his partners and opened 215 Records. Hits with this label included, "Cream" by Soul Ballet. Not long after launching 215, Chackler rejuvenated, he entered into a distribution agreement with Sony/RED, He worked with artists from many different genres, including keyboardist Alan Hewitt, member Moody Blues, Jim Peterik, the founder of Survivor and Ides of March and grammy-winning rock legend, and the new sensation of #imEnough, The Mrs.

Film In the early to mid-eighties while running Private I, Chackler began creating music for film. This began when Gary Lemel, who at the time was head of music for Columbia Pictures, located there. Greenwich possessed a huge sound stage where the original "Flipper", was filmed. The studio was under-utilized during that period, and Chackler was brought in to apply his experience, to rebuild the business. He served as chief operating officer for Greenwich Films, where he developed and provided executive production services, as well as music supervision, on four feature films, including: South Beach, All American Murder. He also created a joint venture publishing opportunity with Sony Music, with a focus on highlighting all film music. by Independent Feature Project/West for his work in Hang'n with the Homeboys.

In 2009, Chackler and filmmaker Tom Holland co-founded the production company Dead Rabbit Films.

Personal life Chackler resided in Moorestown, New Jersey. He had a son, a daughter, and five grandchildren.

Chackler was featured in several books such as Hit Men, As Nasty as they Wanna Be, The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock, and Stevie Nicks' Visions, Dreams & Rumors.

Death On April 27, 2024, at the age of 79, Chackler died at his home in Moorestown, New Jersey. He was buried at Roosevelt Cemetery in Trevose, Pennsylvania, where a service was held on May 3. In lieu of flowers, it was requested that mourners donate to the Wounded Warrior Project, his favorite charity.