Doc McGhee (born September 5, 1950, in Chicago, as Harold Millard McGhee) is an American music manager, best known for working with hard rock bands Kiss, Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe. The latter two groups experienced their rise to stardom under his management. He has also worked with Hootie & the Blowfish.
He was in a reality series for VH1 called Supergroup along with Scott Ian, Ted Nugent, Evan Seinfeld, Sebastian Bach and Jason Bonham. He was also seen on the AMC reality series 4th and Loud, which chronicled his, Gene Simmons', and Paul Stanley's roles as owners of the Los Angeles Kiss Arena Football League team.
Moscow Music Peace Festival In 1989, McGhee joined with Soviet musician and promotor Stas Namin to create the Moscow Music Peace Festival which brought together hard rock and metal bands from the United States, Europe and the Soviet Union to benefit programs to help drug addicts. The lineup consisted of Bon Jovi, Scorpions, Mötley Crüe, Skid Row, Gorky Park (the local Russian outfit), Ozzy Osbourne, and Cinderella. Aerosmith was also scheduled to perform there, but not only pulled out at the literal last minute, but also insisted their contribution, their rendition of The Doors' "Love Me Two Times", be lifted from the official Make A Difference album's final pressing, on the grounds of being suspicious as to where the money was actually going. Over 100,000 people attended and it was broadcast in 59 countries. The concert inspired one of the bands, the McGhee-managed Scorpions, to write the top-selling song Wind of Change. McGhee's life and involvement in the Festival is featured in episodes 5 and 6 of the podcast Wind of Change.
Drug smuggling conviction In November 1982, McGhee was arrested for contributing to the import of 20 tons of marijuana into North Carolina via shrimp boat. The 21-count indictment said that McGhee and the smugglers had the intent to distribute the marijuana. McGhee would have to serve 30 years in jail and be fined $140,000, but the possession-with-intent-to-sell charge was changed. Identified as a link between US smugglers and the Colombian drug suppliers (his soon-to-be-ex-business partner being none other than the infamous Noriega), McGhee pleaded guilty and was ordered to spend $250,000 and 3,000 hours dedicated to his Make a Difference Foundation, a non-profit aimed at deterring youth drug use. After the sentence, neither McGhee nor his office would comment on the sentencing.
Bands managed Niteflyte (1978–1982) Pat Travers (1978–1981) Mötley Crüe (1982–1989) Bon Jovi (1984–1991) Guns N' Roses (2010–2011) Kiss (1995–2023) Skid Row (1988–) The Front (1989–1994) Hootie & the Blowfish Lovehammers Scorpions Benise Jypsi (2007–2010) Nico Vega (2009–2010) Night Ranger (2007–) Crooked X (2007–2008) Vintage Trouble (2010–) TNT Drew Davis Band Down Chasin' Crazy (2015–2016)
Solo artists managed Bonnie McKee (2004–2009) Cheyenne Kimball (2007–) Darius Rucker Ted Nugent Paul Stanley Sacha Edwards Bob Schneider Richie Sambora Yoshiki Orianthi Mallary Hope
Discography +YearTitleCredits1979Niteflyte – Niteflyteexecutive producer1982Pat Travers – Black Pearlmanagement1983Mötley Crüe – Shout at the Devilmanagement1984Bon Jovi – Bon Jovimanagement1985Bon Jovi – management1985Mötley Crüe – Theatre of Paindirection1986The Unforgiven – The Unforgivendirection1986Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wetmanagement1987Mötley Crüe – Girls, Girls, Girlsmanagement1988Bon Jovi – New Jerseymanagement1989Skid Row – Skid Rowmanagement1989Mötley Crüe – Dr. Feelgoodmanagement1989Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hellexecutive producer1990Scorpions – Crazy Worldmanagement1991Richie Sambora – Stranger in This Townmanagement1993Scorpions – Face the Heatmanagement1994Roger Taylor and Yoshiki – Foreign Sandexecutive producer1994Roger Taylor – Happiness?executive producer1995God Street Wine – $1.99 RomancesA&R1998Kiss – Psycho Circusmanagement2003Kiss – Kiss Symphony: Alive IVKiss management2011Night Ranger – Somewhere in Californiamanagement
References
External links McGhee Entertainment
Interview with Doc McGhee – The Unwritable Rant podcast