Michael Bryan Martinovich

Michael Bryan Martinovich, a 55-year-veteran of the music industry, passed away Monday, November 18, in Nashville, TN. He was 81. Mike spent three decades with CBS Records/Sony Music. He joined the company in 1969 as a sales representative in the St. Louis branch. He later became promotion manager for Epic Records in that market. Mike moved to Atlanta in 1976 as sales manager, relocating to the CBS branch in Cincinnati the following year as branch manager. Elevated to vice president, merchandising, he spent the next 10 years at CBS Records headquarters in New York City. In that role, he oversaw seven departments and more than 200 staffers and was instrumental in marketing such megastar artists as Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd, Journey and James Taylor, among others. Mike assumed the title of Vice President, Marketing when he relocated to CBS Records, Nashville in December 1988. During his tenure, he designed and directed the marketing strategy for Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rosanne Cash, Charlie Daniels, Joe Diffie and Rodney Crowell. In 1994, Mike left the label to join Garth Brooks’ marketing guru, Joe Mansfield in Mansfield-Martinovich Associates. As strategic consultant to Wal-Mart’s music merchandiser, Anderson Merchandisers, the duo planned and oversaw Wal-Mart’s Country Music Across America’s Parking Lot Tour. Over three touring seasons, the tour spotlighted more than 50 emerging country artists in 60 markets.

In 2003, Mike and three partners formed The Consortium, offering strategic consultancy to Broken Bow Records (BBR). They brought superstar Jason Aldean to the label. He led the Weather Channel’s licensing and branding initiative, and for seven years The Consortium represented the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Wal-Mart team. Mike oversaw Marie Osmond’s 2016 release, “Music is Medicine” to a Top 10 position on the country charts. Most recently he was a consultant to ChildHelp.

A 1992 graduate of Leadership Music, Mike served on the organization’s board of directors and volunteered for the Record Company Day Committee for 11 years. He also served as vice president at-large on the ACM board of directors, on the marketing committee of the RIAA, and was chairman of CMA’s Marketing Development Committee. He was a member of the Recording Academy.

Michael was the oldest of three children, born October 23, 1943, in St. Louis, MO, to Boris “Babe” and Mildred Martin (Martinovich). A graduate of Lindbergh High School in St. Louis and the University of Missouri with a degree in political science, he was a lifelong member of Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church in St. Louis, MO, and a founding member of Svetka Petka Serbian Orthodox Church in Nashville, TN.

Mike was a frequent traveler to the family ethnic homeland of Montenegro and Serbia where he developed and maintained valued relationships with extended family. He was the loving father of Michael/Mitar (Sue) and Bo/Bozidar, both of whom followed him into the music industry. He was the grandfather of Stefan and Niko. He is survived by a sister, Barbara Martin of Rancho Mirage, CA and a brother Bryan (Merle) of Tucson, AZ. He was also a cherished uncle of Maggie Martinovich McGrath (Kyle) and Natalie Martinovich Kastis (Nick) and loving great uncle to Alexandra, Stefania, Luka, Niko, John Branko, Lola and Yiannoula and loving cousin and kum (godfather).

Visitation and Viewing will be on Friday, November 22, at 3:30-6:00 pm (Little pomen-Memorial Service) at Eastland Funeral Home, 904 Gallatin Ave., Nashville, TN 37206 and Saturday, November 23, 2024 from 10:00-12:00 at Saint Petka Serbian Orthodox Church,

Funeral Service will be Saturday, November 23, at 12:00 noon at Saint Petka Serbian Orthodox Church, 1712 5th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37208.

Contributions may be made in Michael’s name to Saint Petka Serbian Orthodox Church, 1712 5th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37208.