Milwaukee-area native Peter Gray is a music industry bigwig. And now he's an even bigger wig.
Gray, who graduated from Cedarburg High in 1992, has been promoted to senior vice president, pop promotion for the RCA Music Group. Gray was previously VP of Top 40 promotion at RCA's New York headquarters.
"I'm very fortunate and excited about my continued growth with the best team in the music business," says Gray. "I must extend my utmost gratitude to Richard Palmese for sharing his unrivaled expertise and guidance. I would also like to thank Barry Weiss and Tom Corson for providing me the opportunity to expand my role at the RCA Music Group."
Gray was hired by RCA in 2002 as senior director, Top 40 promotion and became vice president two years later and was moved from L.A. to New York.
At RCA, Gray has helped make stars of the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, David Cook, Alicia Keys, Gavin DeGraw, Leona Lewis, Jamie Foxx, and others.
"Peter is truly an exceptional individual, an inspiring music executive, and a good friend," says Palmese. "His passion for music is complemented by his outstanding commitment to winning. Peter has distinguished himself as a leader in the RCA Music Group fold and has earned the complete admiration and respect of his peers. He is as intelligent as he is inspiring, and I am thrilled to now have Peter working alongside of me implementing and directing our promotion campaigns within all pop formats. This is an exciting moment for both Peter and the RMG family."
Gray now lives in Tarrytown, N.Y., with his wife and two children.
And, no, he can't get you Nipper's autograph.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
