LIONEL TRAINS FOR FUTURE
Mr. Ridenour has been a member of Arista's senior management team since coming to the label in 1993, first serving as Senior Director, R&B Promotion, then Vice President, R&B Promotion, then Senior Vice President, R&B Promotion and, since July 2000, Executive Vice President for the label.
Over the course of his career at Arista, Mr. Ridenour played a hands-on role in leading the promotional and marketing efforts while furthering the careers of such multi-platinum artists as Toni Braxton, Clipse, Faith Evans, Whitney Houston, Donell Jones, Notorious B.I.G., OutKast, P. Diddy, TLC and Usher, among many others.
"It has been an amazing ten-year run at Arista Records," said Mr. Ridenour. "It's afforded me the opportunity to work with the true greats of the music industry: LA Reid, Clive Davis and Sean "Puffy" Combs. The last two years in particular have been incredible, and I am truly proud that I've been instrumental in building one of the best executive teams in the business. I look forward to the next phase of my career."
"Lionel has been one of my closest and most trusted personal friends for more than a decade," said Mr. Reid, who first met Mr. Ridenour in the early days of LaFace Records, which Arista began distributing in 1991.
"This is a bittersweet moment, since Lionel has always been right there by my side. I have only the highest hopes and encouragement for him, whatever the future brings. I know we will remain great friends for years to come."
Sources say that Urban Promotion will report to Sr. VP Promotion Steve Bartels, while recently hired Jermaine Dupri will head up Black music at the label.
