Co-founder of Music Biz Ed Snider Passes Away

James Donio, President of the Music Business Association (Music Biz), commented on the passing of Ed Snider, who co-founded Music Biz (then NARM) and founded the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team.

"The Music Business Association (formerly NARM) is extremely saddened by the passing of iconic Philadelphia sports entrepreneur Ed Snider, founder of the Flyers hockey team and chairman of Comcast Spectacor. What most people don't know is that Ed was also one of the founders of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers. He was born and raised in Washington, DC, the son of a grocery chain store owner, and later got into the music business with his company Edge Ltd. and joined with a small group of wholesalers and distributors in 1958 to form NARM, the organization that would go on to be a forum for advancing the business of music for more than half a century and counting.

He even served as NARM's Chairman of the Board in 1961 and spoke at many of the group's early conventions. I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Ed for a special retrospective video celebrating NARM's 50th anniversary in 2008. His memories of that period in his life were vivid and cherished, and he was proud that NARM had stood the test of time. We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, players, and Philadelphia sports fans."