Former manager Terry Slater has died at the age of 85, prompting an emotional tribute from A-ha keyboardist Magne Furuholmen, who described Slater as "the singularly most important person in A-ha's music career."
Furuholmen announced Slater's death in a heartfelt Instagram post, reflecting on the moment the veteran music executive first believed in the young Norwegian trio more than four decades ago.
View this post on InstagramThat gamble paid off. After taking on A-ha in 1983, Slater helped guide Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, Magne Furuholmen and Morten Harket to worldwide success. The band broke through internationally with 1985's "Take On Me," which became a global smash thanks in part to its groundbreaking animated music video. A-ha would go on to score additional hits including "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." and "Hunting High and Low," eventually becoming Norway's biggest international music act.
"He was already a towering figure in the music world when we first met, but more than just his business boldness, experience, knowhow, network etc., he became a kind of father figure and a good friend," he wrote. "He really cared. About the band, and the three of us as people, guiding us with a steady hand through the many trappings and pitfalls of success."
He concluded the tribute by thanking his longtime friend for everything he had done.
A Career That Extended Far Beyond A-ha
Long before helping launch A-ha, Slater had built an impressive career in the music business. During the 1960s, he performed and wrote songs with The Everly Brothers, earning songwriting credits on tracks including "Bowling Green," "Lord of the Manor" and "Up in Mabel's Room."
Slater later became an influential executive at EMI, where he worked with artists including Queen, Kate Bush, Duran Duran and the Sex Pistols before taking A-ha under his wing in the early 1980s.
The Ed Sullivan Show also paid tribute following the news, writing that Slater "left an unforgettable mark on the music industry" and that "his legacy lives on through the timeless songs and artists he championed."
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