Peter Bennett (music promoter)

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Peter Bennett (May 10, 1935 – November 22, 2012) was a prominent American music promoter who worked with many famous artists, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, and the Jackson 5. Born Pietro Benedetto in the Bronx, New York, he changed his surname to Bennett and began his career as a drummer before moving into promotions.

During the 1960s, Bennett helped bring the British Invasion to American audiences by promoting bands such as the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and Herman’s Hermits. In 1967, after the Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein died, Bennett was hired to promote the Beatles and Apple Records in the United States. He promoted Hey Jude and oversaw US promotions for Apple releases like The Beatles (White Album), Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road, and Let It Be, while Allen Klein managed the band’s business.

After the Beatles split, Bennett continued promoting John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr through ABKCO. He also produced the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971. In the mid-1970s he helped Michael Jackson and the Jacksons move to Epic Records, leading to the success of Thriller in 1982—the biggest-selling album in music history.

In 1970–72 Bennett and Klein faced felony charges of attempted income tax evasion. Bennett pleaded to a single misdemeanor and received one year of unsupervised probation; Klein was later convicted of a related misdemeanor. Bennett later spoke at music conventions and nostalgia events, worked on an unpublished autobiography, and hosted gatherings called “An Evening With Pete Bennett.” He died of heart failure in 2012 at age 77.