Los Angeles, CA –Brian Avnet, a beloved and respected figure in the entertainment industry whose decades-long career as a personal manager helped shape the success of some of the most iconic artists in music history, died peacefully on May 14, 2025, surrounded by family, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 82 and had been living with Parkinson’s disease for many years.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 16, 1942, to Duke and Beatrice Augusta Avent. He began his entertainment career at the age of 15, working at the newly opened Painters Mill Music Fair in Owings Mills, Maryland. He quickly rose through the ranks to become the venue’s youngest-ever manager, signaling the start of an extraordinary career in show business. He also worked with impresario Lee Guber at Westbury Music Fair on Long Island.

Avnet, a graduate of Gettysburg College, also completed an internship in Princeton’s theatrical department. He worked in summer stock theater and shared a New York apartment with future stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, running the ticket booth while the trio pursued their acting and production ambitions. He would go on to produce A Streetcar Named Desire starring Voight at the Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, New York.

Avnet worked with Bette Midler in the early days, starting when she was playing bathhouses in New York before becoming a Broadway sensation in the 1970s. Avnet served as general manager for Midler’s 19-show run at the Palace Theatre in New York in December 1973, for which she won a special Tony Award “for adding lustre to the Broadway season.”

In 1974, Avnet moved to Los Angeles to work with music impresario Lou Adler on the production of The Rocky Horror Show at The Roxy Theatre. The success of that nine-month run led to the 1975 cult classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He also produced the Los Angeles stage production of Tommy and managed Jesus Christ Superstar at the Universal Amphitheatre, where he oversaw its first season.

Over the next four decades, Avnet built a reputation as one of the most trusted and respected personal managers in the industry, working closely with a diverse range of celebrated artists including The Manhattan Transfer, Johnny Mandel, Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Cyndi Lauper, Take 6, Jean-Luc Ponty, Eric Benét and Joshua Ledet.

Beginning in 1979, Avnet’s management of The Manhattan Transfer played a significant role in leading the vocal group to its greatest commercial success, including the Grammy-winning hit “Boy From New York City.”

Alan Paul and Janis Siegel, founding members of The Manhattan Transfer, remember him fondly. “Brian was an excellent manager and was like a brother to me. He was savvy, honest, funny, and gifted with a heart of gold. I never met anyone personally or in business who didn’t like him,” said Paul.

Janis Siegel said Avnet was like a fifth member of the quartet. “Brian got into the rough and tumble with us as we all negotiated the ups and downs of the music business. He was fiercely loyal, passionate about his opinions, smart, and kind.”

His collaboration with renowned composer and producer David Foster opened the door to an even broader legacy. Together, they worked on recording projects for Whitney Houston, Céline Dion, Toni Braxton, Natalie Cole, Diana Krall, Faith Hill, Brandy, En Vogue, Olivia Newton-John, the Bee Gees, Michael Bolton, All-4-One, Julio Iglesias, and Smokey Robinson. Perhaps most notably, Avnet discovered a young Josh Groban through vocal coach Seth Riggs, helped develop his career, and later became his manager.

In 1995, when Foster launched 143 Records under Warner Bros., he appointed Avnet to lead the label. The roster included Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, The Corrs, and Beth Hart, further cementing Avnet’s influence on the modern music landscape.

In recognition of his lifelong contributions to the entertainment industry, Avnet was named Manager of the Year by POLLSTAR in 2017 and inducted into the Personal Managers Hall of Fame, joining the ranks of legendary peers like Jerry Weintraub, Sid Bernstein, and Eliot Roberts.

Despite his many accolades, Brian Avnet was known for his humility, warmth, and unwavering integrity. Remarkably, he never signed a contract with any of his artists. “It was a long career, and he was beloved. His word was his bond. And that’s rare in the entertainment industry,” said his wife, Marcia.

Marcia attributes her husband’s dedication to fairness to his parents. “His father, Duke Avnet, practiced law in the Baltimore, MD, area for 54 years. He was a well-known civil rights attorney, who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era for his defense of athlete/actor/singer Paul Robison, best known for his role as Othello on stage. Despite the blacklist, Avnet continued to fight for the oppressed though to the end of his legal career. Avnet’s mother, Beatrice, was a dedicated social worker for many years.

A passionate golfer and lifelong music lover, Brian cherished the deep personal connections he formed with the artists he worked with and the enduring friendships he cultivated throughout his career.

He is survived by his wife, Marcia Avnet, his brother, Richard Avnet, his nephew, Evan Avnet, and countless friends, collaborators, and admirers touched by his honesty, generosity, and unwavering dedication to the craft.

A private memorial service will be held in Los Angeles in September. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.