Frank Dileo obituary: Michael Jackson's manager dies at 63

1/10

Hubert Sumlin‘s snarling guitar helped define Howlin’ Wolf‘s sound. Though Sumlin never attained a fraction of the fame of his celebrated boss, he is revered by fellow blues musicians. He was 80. Full obituary

Notable music deaths of 2011 (Paul Hawthorne / Getty Images)

2/10

Dobie Gray was a smooth balladeer and soul singer who scored his biggest hit in the early 1970s with “Drift Away.” He worked increasingly as a songwriter, mainly in a country vein. He was 71. Full obituary

Notable music deaths of 2011 (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)

3/10

Roger Williams was of the most popular instrumentalists of the mid-20th century and hit No. 1 on the pop charts in 1955 with his arpeggio-strewn “Autumn Leaves.” Between 1955 and 1972, he had 22 hit singles -- including “Born Free” -- and 38 hit albums. He was 87. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Lawrence Lucier / Steinway & Sons via Getty Images)

4/10

The Scottish singer-guitarist influenced rock and folk greats including Neil Young, Jimmy Page, Paul Simon and Pete Townshend, who credit Jansch’s effect on their music and celebrate his virtuosic playing and evocative songwriting. He was 67. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Jim Dyson / Getty Images)

5/10

Robinson owned Sugar Hill Records. The label released “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hill Gang in 1979. It’s considered the first mainstream hip-hop hit. She also had a solo hit with “Pillow Talk” in 1973. She was 76. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

6/10

The Chicago bluesman, the son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave, performed with the founders of the art form: Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Son House, Tommy McLennan, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Joe Williams. He was the last of the bluesmen from his generation. He was 96. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Joe Brier / McClatchy-Tribune)

7/10

Marshall Grant, who worked as Johnny Cash‘s road manager and played bass for him for more than two decades, helped create the singer’s famous sound. He was 83. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Wayne Risher / Associated Press)

8/10

The saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen‘s E Street Band put his stamp on such Springsteen classics as “Born to Run” and “Rosalita.” He was known both for his full-throttle tenor sax work and his larger-than-life onstage persona as “the Big Man.” He was 69. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Hillery Smith Garrison / Associated Press)

9/10

The singer gained fame with her 1974 hit, “Poetry Man.” She received wide acclaim for her self-titled album, which showed off her multi-octave range and musical versatility. She had suffered a brain hemorrhage in January 2010. She was 60. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

10/10

The composer won five Oscars for films such as “Born Free” and “Out of Africa” and scored Bond films including “Goldfinger,” “Diamonds Are Forever” and “From Russia With Love.” His work on the Bond franchise put him in the forefront of music composers. He was 77. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Dave Hogan / Getty Images)

By Claire Noland, Los Angeles Times

Aug. 25, 2011 12 AM PT

Frank Dileo, a music industry promoter who spent five years as Michael Jackson’s manager after the release of his “Thriller” album then briefly rejoined him before the pop star’s death in 2009, has died. He was 63.

Dileo died Wednesday at a hospital in Boardman, Ohio, of complications from heart surgery that he underwent six months ago, publicist Karen Sundell said.

Often described as a colorful, cigar-smoking character, Dileo was vice president of promotion for Epic Records when he became Jackson’s manager in 1984.

“Thriller” was released in late 1982, and Dileo is credited with helping drive sales of the album past 29 million. He pushed for the concurrent release of the singles “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” both of which reached No. 1 on the pop charts. As Jackson’s manager, Dileo oversaw two concert tours, executive-produced the singer’s 1988 “Moonwalker” film and produced his soft-drink commercials.

Jackson fired Dileo in 1989 after an apparent falling-out, then rehired him in 2009 when Jackson was preparing for his “This Is It” tour. Dileo was at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center when doctors declared the pop star dead at age 50 on June 25, 2009.

Born in Pittsburgh in 1947, Dileo got his start in the music business as a salesman for CBS Records in the late 1960s. He switched to working in promotion at Epic, a CBS subsidiary, then went to RCA and Arista before returning to Epic in 1979.

During the 1990s he ran a management and consulting firm and had bit acting parts in movies, including “Goodfellas” and the “Wayne’s World” films.

Dileo is survived by his wife, Linda; a daughter, Belinda; a son, Dominic, and a grandson, Frank.

claire.noland@latimes.com