This article discusses the business of managing the estates of pop culture icons. “Few people understand that better than Jeffrey Jampol, an LA-based specialist whose JAM Inc manages the rock estates of Otis Redding, Kurt Cobain, the Doors, Rick James, Ramones and Muddy Waters among others, as well as advising the co-executors of Michael Jackson’s estate.” There is a lot of difficult work that goes into the process of trying to prevent or reduce the type of legal chaos that often unfolds in the probate process after a wealthy celebrity passes away. Oftentimes the estates of famous celebrities keep earning income long after they pass away from things like trademarks, royalties, and brands. The rock legacy business that is described in this article is only going to continue to grow in the future.
See Edward Helmore, ‘This is the pop culture legacy business’: JAM Inc manages artists after death, The Guardian, May 6, 2016.
Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.
