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Sheldon Kagan is a well-known Montreal concert promoter, DJ, and event producer. He is best known for booking legendary jazz, big-band, and rock artists during the 1970s and 1980s, as well as creating one of Canada’s longest-running bridal expositions, “Salon de la Mariée”, which he produced for 35 consecutive years.

Early Life & Career

Kagan left Montreal’s Northmount High School after grade-9 and began deejaying local parties at 15, establishing himself across the city as one of Montreal’s premier entertainment hosts. While still a teenager, Kagan booked R&B legend Bo Diddley to perform at a Montreal venue which he rented, as well as promoting the event and handling the revenue. That big-name concert was to be among the first of a half-century of concerts he booked and promoted, which featured some of music’s biggest jazz, big-band, and rock artists.

Notable artists booked by Kagan include Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Billy Preston, Bill Withers, Buddy Rich, Dionne Warwick, and The Commodores. Kagan was one of the very first Impresarios to book a then-unknown Loggins & Messina.

As Kagan’s entertainment business continued to grow, he organized and was in charge of promoting larger events, as well as becoming a renowned host for some of Montreal’s most notable VIP weddings.

Kagan retired in 2015 after a 50 year career and published his autobiography, “Not In A Shy Way - the Sheldon Kagan Story” in 2018.

References

 https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/local-arts/montreal-promoter-sheldon-kagan-looks-back-at-his-star-studded-career 

 https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=561009 

 https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=561084&playlistId=1.2258481&binId=1.1332485&playlistPageNum=1 

https://globalnews.ca/tag/not-in-a-shy-way-the-sheldon-kagan-story/

https://www.amazon.ca/Not-Shy-Way-Sheldon-Kagan-ebook/dp/B07FPTQ2WR