Jim Halsey

Jim Halsey is an American artist manager, agent and impresario. He and his staff have guided, promoted or managed the careers of numerous prominent U.S. entertainers - particularly country music stars - including 29 inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame and 10 inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Halsey and his staff have handled the careers of Roy Clark, the Oak Ridge Boys, Waylon Jennings, Reba McEntire, Clint Black, Minnie Pearl, Tammy Wynette, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, the Judds, Jimmy Dean, Mel Tillis, Lee Greenwood, Hank Thompson, Don Williams, Woody Herman, James Brown, Roy Orbison, Leon Russell, Ricky Nelson, the Righteous Brothers, and many others.

Halsey has organized and presented country music performances, particularly in the central U.S., but also on the coasts and abroad.

Early life Jim Halsey was born in Independence, Kansas to Harry E. Halsey Jr. and Carrie Lee (Messick) Halsey. He attended Washington School, junior and senior high school and Independence Junior College. At age twelve, Halsey organized the Junior Marines (ages 9–12) to stimulate war bond sales. They drilled every Saturday at Washington School. Dues were 2 cents per member.

A few years later, Halsey formulated his goals after absorbing the story of the noted impresario Sol Hurok, in his book Impresario. In October 1949, following a vision from a book report assignment on the life of Hurok, junior college student Halsey was inspired to present shows and dances at Memorial Hall and the Independence area. His first show/dance, Leon McAuliffe was the beginning of promotions that would include big band concerts, Broadway shows, classical music presentations, wrestling, ice shows and circuses.

The Jim Halsey Institute of Music and Entertainment Business From 1994 to 1999, Halsey created and served as director of the award-winning Music and Entertainment Business Program at Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is a visiting professor at HED Music College in Yehud, Israel, and lectures and teaches extensively at other colleges and universities around the world. He wrote his first book and seminar series, How To Make It In The Music Business. In March 2010, he launched the Jim Halsey Institute of Music and Entertainment Business, an undergraduate music business program at Independence Community College.

Billboard/Starmaker Worldwide Song Contest In 1987, Halsey's company teamed with entertainment industry magazine Billboard to produce the annual Billboard World Song Festival (later the Billboard/Starmaker Worldwide Song Contest), a song-writing competition for amateur composers of country, pop/rock, black, jazz, Latin, and gospel music, with medals and cash prices awarded in each of those categories, in a televised program. Categories for world, rhythm & blues and rap music were added later, the category "black" deleted, and the "pop" and "rock" categories were separated. Merchandise was added to the awards. The program is co-sponsored by Sonicbids, Disc Makers, Casio, GoGirlsMusic.com, D'Addario Strings, TAXI, Indie Band Manager and BluBlocker Sunglasses.

Other roles Member, Advisory Board, National Fiddlers' Hall of Fame

Awards and recognition 2018 - Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, Marquis Who's Who 2015 - American Eagle Award, National Music Council of the United States ("... to honor individuals and institutions who have made comprehensive contributions to musical life in America.") 2014 - Induction to International Entertainment Buyers Association Hall of Fame 2013 - Kansas Senate Resolution No. 1741, "A resolution congratulating Jim Halsey on his numerous musical accomplishments..." 2009 - Induction to Kansas Music Hall of Fame 1999 - Medal of Honor - Cherokee Honor Society (Tahlequah, Oklahoma) 1998 - Governor's Award in Arts & Education - Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating 1997 - Lifetime Achievement Award - International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) (Halsey was the first person to receive this award.) 1992 - Degree - Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa, Baker University 1990 - The Jim Halsey Company booking agency division was sold to the William Morris Agency 1989 - Medallion - Committee for Artists - Deutsche Democratic Republic (East Germany) 1989 - Medallion - Festival of Bregenz - Bregenz, Austria 1989 - Citation - Kumamoto Prefectural Government, Japan; Mokihiro Hosokawa, Governor 1988 - Distinguished Serviced Award - International Theatrical Agents Association 1987 - The Frédéric Chopin Medal presented by PAGART (The Polish Artists Bureau) 1986 - Commendation for Outstanding Leadership in Promoting World Peace and Harmony through the Medium of Visual and Performing Arts from the Mayor of Los Angeles, Tom Bradley 1985 - Founding President's Award from the Country Music Association "for the person (or persons) who... has rendered the most outstanding service to the Country Music Association in the current year" 1984 - International Federation of Festival Organizations (FIDOF) Diploma as promoter for the Neewollah Festival for Promoting Peace and Friendship through Music and Art 1982 - Distinguished Leadership Award given by Baker University 1982 - Named one of Esquire Magazine's Country Music Heavy 100 1982 - The FIDOF Oscar, presented in Cannes, France during the worldwide MIDEM convention by FIDOF Spain President, Augusto Algueró 1982 - Recipient of citation at the Golden Orpheus Festival in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria 1980 - Recipient of International Ambassador of Country Music Award for SESAC 1980 - Recipient of Outstanding Artistic Achievement in Booking Award from Cashbox Magazine 1980 - Recipient of Distinguished Kansan Award from Topeka Capitol 1978 - Recipient of Cashbox Magazine "Manager of the Year" Award 1978 - Recipient of the International Ambassador of Country Music Award for SESAC 1977 - Recipient of the Jim Reeves Memorial Award by the Academy of Country Music

Published works How To Make It In The Music Business (book and seminar series) Hawk Publishing Group (October 28, 2000). Starmaker, ("a comprehensive guide to success in the music industry"), Tate Publishing, 2010.