Tony Rose, pioneering music executive and publisher, dies at 74

Tony Rose, a groundbreaking music executive, record producer and award-winning book publisher, passed away peacefully after a long illness at his home in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 27. He was 74.

At his side were his devoted wife of 43 years, Yvonne Rose; and his sister, Felicia Rose.

Born Conant Burleigh Peter Joseph Rose in the Roxbury section of Boston, he grew up in the Whittier Street public housing development. Rose never forgot his roots, carrying that signature Roxbury swagger throughout his life and career. Rose often told the story of how Melvin Miller, founder of the Bay State Banner, hired him to deliver papers in Dudley Station. It was his first job.

Rose and his wife Yvonne with books published through his company Amber Books. PHOTO: COURTESY OF YVONNE ROSE

After serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, Rose pursued higher education at the University of Massachusetts, UCLA and the New England Conservatory of Music. He would go on to become one of the key architects of Boston’s vibrant Black music scene in the late 1970s and 1980s, helping to launch the careers of global superstars and shaping a musical movement that blended R&B, electro-funk, and pop, reaching audiences around the world. His music industry journey began in Los Angeles with roles at WEA and RCA Records, where he honed his publicity skills under the mentorship of Warren Lanier Public Relations. Returning to Boston in the late 1970s, Rose became a central figure in the city’s emerging Black music community. He collaborated with talents such as Maurice Starr and Michael Jonzun and helped build the infrastructure that supported acts like New Edition, New Kids on the Block, The Jonzun Crew and Prince Charles and the City Beat Band.

Rose in the recording studio with Maurice Starr, another of Boston’s legendary music producers. PHOTO: COURTESY OF YVONNE ROSE

I had the chance to work with Rose on several EPs during that era, and I can attest to his perfectionism in the studio. His production skills were not only meticulous but timeless. Rose managed and produced Prince Charles (Charles Alexander) under his own Solid Platinum Records and Productions, releasing seminal albums including Gang War (1980), Stone Killers (1982) and Combat Zone (1984). Solid Platinum became the first African American-owned production company signed to Virgin Records, marking an historic milestone. The records achieved gold certification and charted alongside giants like Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

In the late 1980s, Rose owned Hit City Recording Studio, where early recordings of New Kids on the Block were produced before Starr bought the facility in 1990. Rose later developed Dance Slam, a local television dance pilot that showcased emerging talent from Boston’s vibrant music and arts scene.

Music entrepreneur Tony Rose PHOTO: COURTESY OF YVONNE ROSE

Tony Rose, his wife Yvonne and their beautiful, blended family were also our longtime neighbors in Roxbury until both of our families eventually moved West. His second act was just as impactful. In 1996, Rose founded Amber Books, which would grow to become one of the most successful and enduring African American-owned publishing houses in the nation. Over the years, Amber Books published more than 1,000 titles, amplifying a wide range of Black voices and stories. Rose authored several books himself, including Before the Legend: The Rise of New Kids on the Block and a Guy Named Maurice Starr (2011), America: The Black Point of View (2015), and The Autobiography of an American Ghetto Boy (2016). In 2013, he received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature and co-founded the African American Pavilion at BookExpo America. In 2007, Amber Books published African Americans and the Future of New Orleans: Rebirth, Renewal and Rebuilding — An American Dilemma by Philip S. Hart (with a foreword by Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr.), a critical work that contributed to post-Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. Deeply committed to community uplift, Rose led initiatives such as the Katrina Literary Collective, which donated more than 90,000 books to Katrina survivors.

Rose and Kay Bourne, former Bay State Banner arts editor and Boston luminary. PHOTO: COURTESY OF YVONNE ROSE

Throughout his life, Rose earned numerous accolades, including gold and platinum records and Ampex Golden Reel Awards. Beyond the awards, he was widely respected as a mentor, entrepreneur and fierce advocate for Black excellence in entertainment and literature.

In addition to his wife and sister, Rose leaves two brothers, Frederick Rose and Frederick Jackson; adopted sisters Deborah Waller and Tasha Waller; adopted brothers Solomon Waller and Vincent Waller; four sons: Conant Rose Jr., Alton Gaskins, Jatau White and Tajien White; grandchildren Aidan Gaskins, Claudia Gaskins and Keeshawn White; five stepchildren, Kevin Fleetwood, Valerie Fleetwood, Therez Fleetwood, Craig Fleetwood and Benjamin Willis Jr.; 13 step-grandchildren; and 10 step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Muriel Waller of Roxbury and Frederick Rose of Cambridge.

Tony Rose’s legacy endures through the music he helped shape, the artists he championed, and the stories he told. His work is archived at the University of Massachusetts Boston, preserved in countless books and YouTube recordings and continues to inspire future generations in sound, in print and in spirit.

R.I.P., my friend.