In Memoriam - Greg Sill, Cathi Black, Pilar McCurry

On April 18th, we held a GMS Memorial for our friends and music supervisor colleagues Greg Sill, Cathi Black and Pilar McCurry at the Recording Academy in Santa Monica. We shared some laughs, some tears and some delicious tacos and our community came together to share a lot of love and appreciation for one another.

GREG SILL

It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Greg Sill, one of our own, has passed away. Greg was one of the pioneers of the craft of Music Supervision. He grew up in a family that loved music and was immersed in the music industry. Greg started at Columbia Pictures as a music Coordinator in the late 70’s, and worked his way up at companies such as America International Pictures, CBS Songs, Warner Bros. and Lorimar Television. He supervised shows from Knots Landing, Falcon Crest, Dallas, Full House, American Dreams, ER and Friends to the recent TNT hit Justified. As a Music Supervisor, he was a brilliant, generous and caring collaborator who paved the way for many of us. Our hearts and thoughts go out to his family.

To pay tribute to Greg, please go to the MusiCares site, click on The Addiction Recovery (MAP) Program in Memory of Greg Sill: www.grammy.com/musicares/donations

PILAR MCCURRY

The Pilar McCurry Mentorship Fund for Diversity has been established to carry on the visionary legacy of one of the music industry’s most remarkable women. Pilar was a rare, special person, a loving mother, an exceptional talent, a trailblazing music supervisor and dedicated friend. Her pursuit for excellence always set a high standard, creating musical moments that reverberated around the world. For nearly a decade, Pilar served as senior vice president of music creative affairs at Sony Pictures Entertainment. During her tenure, she managed 50+ projects while music supervising more than 20 films. In addition to Stomp the Yard, that slate included You Got Served, Takers, The Gospel, Lakeview Terrace, This Christmas, The Karate Kid, Pursuit of Happyness and Hitch. Prior to joining Sony, Pilar served as VP of film music & soundtracks at Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment. Among the Overbrook-affiliated soundtracks that she executive produced and A&R’d were Wild Wild West and Love & Basketball. Between 1996-1999, Pilar worked as an independent music supervisor. Projects under her Rhythm Oil banner included Doctor Doolittle in addition to Men in Black, Love Jones, Gridlock’d and Set It Off. She launched her career in 1994 during a two-year run as VP of film music & soundtracks for Sidewinder Entertainment, serving as music supervisor and soundtrack executive producer for Bad Boys and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.

CATHI BLACK

Since the late 80’s Cathi Black has been involved in various aspects of the music industry, gaining her initial experience while still based in her native Canada . It was there in Toronto where she got in concert promotion and merchandising with Brokum Entertainment and traveled with some incredible acts/concerts series’ such as Lollapalooza, NIN, Sisters of Mercy, Pink Floyd, Van Halen and Metallica. Her extensive marketing and promotion experiences led to her to producing music and film festivals in Vancouver at the height of the ‘grunge’ movement, and working with the industry executives responsible for breaking acts like Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Soundgarden. By early 2001, the sunny climes of California were calling and Cathi relocated to Los Angeles where she jumped into the studio system and worked in the film/music division at Sony Pictures. She was soon thereafter offered a job at EMI as associate Music Supervisor to internationally renowned Music Supervisor Budd Carr, where she worked on such films as Enemy at the Gates, Rock Star, The Score, Life or Something Like It and Beyond Borders. In the next step of her career, she became one of the pioneers of the inception of music supervision for film trailers and she formed a partnership with a fellow music supervisor and together they went on to music supervise 100s of feature film campaigns for all the top trailer houses in Los Angeles. Currently, as both a freelance music supervisor and part of the team at Cutting Edge Group, Cathi continues to lends her expertise to feature films, trailers and commercials.