Touring industry veteran Michael “Tom” Mooney, 64, died of a heart attack at his home in Sherman Oaks, CA, on June 15.
Mooney began his entertainment career in 1974 after serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, when he joined impresario Bill Graham’s FM Productions in San Francisco and became a crew member on the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young tour. Quickly rising through the ranks, he became road manager and tour manager for such acts as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Luis Miguel and Rod Stewart. Mooney, who also worked for Fred Rosen and Ticketmaster as the director of its Showcase program that helped develop emerging artists, is best known for his longtime association with Neil Diamond as his road manager and confidante.
Much of Mooney’s career involved bringing major musical talent to South America and Europe. He recently retired from touring to focus on consulting and event production for a variety of clients in the industry.
He is survived by his British-born wife Ann Clark, who he met while on tour with Diamond in 1978; his brother Joseph Mooney and mother Lorraine Mooney of Boston, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the American Heart Association: 816 S. Figueroa Street, L.A., CA 90017.
