Lifetime
Don Lichterman is a seasoned music industry professional with a diverse career spanning multiple facets of the entertainment world. Born in Camden, New Jersey, and raised in Cherry Hill, Lichterman spent much of his youth traveling across the United States. During his time at the University of Maryland, he developed a passion for live music, attending hundreds of concerts. His early exposure to the entertainment industry came while attending summer sessions at UCLA in 1985, where he had the opportunity to rub elbows with major actors and musicians at iconic events such as the MTV Anniversary Party and the premiere of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure at Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. That same year, the cast of St. Elmo’s Fire was filming on the University of Maryland campus, further fueling his passion for the industry. Don also worked as a runner for Electric Factory Concerts at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at shows for Billy Joel, Elton John and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.
After graduating from the University of Maryland, Lichterman began his career in the music industry as an assistant to two producers, a studio engineer, and a studio manager. He quickly advanced to the role of Manager at The Chalet Sound Studios in Manasquan, New Jersey. It was here that Lichterman earned his first two Gold Record Awards from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for his work on Skid Row’s debut album and a track done at the studio made it on Jon Bon Jovi’s New Jersey album. Skid Row recorded their demos at The Chalet, which later became the basis for their successful debut release. Bon Jovi, along with producer Bruce Fairbairn and songwriter Jack Ponti, also completed pre-production work at the studio before heading to Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver. It’s also the first music publishing deal Don put together with the song “Love for Sale” from the New Jersey album.
In addition to his work with Skid Row and Jon Bon Jovi, Lichterman played a key role in booking Gorky Park, the first Russian rock band to record an album in the United States. The band recorded at The Chalet and went on to support Bon Jovi’s 1989 World Tour, including their performance at the historic Moscow Music Peace Festival. Held in August 1989 at Central Lenin Stadium (now Luzhniki Stadium), the Moscow Music Peace Festival featured legendary acts such as Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, Scorpions, Cinderella, and Skid Row.
Lichterman’s impressive roster of bookings at The Chalet also included renowned artists such as John Entwistle, Baton Rouge, Babylon AD, and the featured song in Robocop 2, as well as many notable local New Jersey acts.
Throughout his ealy part of his career, Don Lichterman has established himself as a key figure in the music and entertainment industries, recognized for his business acumen, passion for music, and his ability to foster creative partnerships that have left a lasting impact on the industry.
Don Lichterman quickly evolved into a seasoned entertainment executive with extensive experience in music, business affairs, and legal operations. In February 1990, he moved to Hollywood Hills, Southern California, where he took a pivotal role in the Business & Legal Affairs Department at MCA Records. In this capacity, he was responsible for overseeing all legal files, including recording contracts, joint venture agreements, songwriter agreements, and litigation files. Lichterman was appointed as the point person for major litigations, including a high-profile lawsuit with PolyGram and Motown.
In addition to managing legal and contractual matters, Lichterman played an instrumental role in processing deals across MCA/Universal. He was tasked with setting up and executing deal memos for various agreements, including label deals, recording contracts, joint ventures, distribution agreements, and merchandise deals with Winterland Productions and Bill Graham Presents (BGP). He also handled concert booking for Universal Concerts and all of its venues that included every booking at every show.
Lichterman was a key figure in reinvigorating live music when he booked the first pop and rock shows at The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre after a long ban on concerts, as well as A&R showcases at iconic venues such as The Viper Room, Club Lingerie, and exclusive private parties at his own home. This included artists such as The Cowsills, The Cages, Steve Wynn, Continental Drifters, Jump in the Water and more.
and more.During his tenure at MCA/Universal, Lichterman was honored with multiple industry accolades, including Multi-Platinum RIAA Awards for his contributions to Elton John’s The One and Tom Petty’s Into the Great Wide Open albums. He also received an “All Around Achievement” Award for his role in MCA’s most successful year at the time and for that work with many artists that are featuered on that plaque including Bobby Brown, Heavy D, Mary J Blige, Jodeci and more. Lichterman was also responsible for managing the Silent Auction at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles TWO (2) times, as well as organizing events for the City of Hope Foundation in Century City for a year.
In pursuit of further education, Lichterman returned to New York City to attend the Stern Business School at New York University, where he studied Media & Telecommunications. He later sought to finish his graduate education through the University of Maryland’s Online MBA Program at the Robert H. Smith School of Business.
During this period, Lichterman worked briefly at Sire Records and Atlantic Records, where he handled sales and promotion for those WEA labels. He was responsible for organizing in-store performances and bookings, promoting artists such as Guster, Muscadyne, and Morcheeba and more at venues like Borders Bookstore, Tower records and more. He also worked on sales CDs and voice-over recordings at Atlantic Recording Studios and for Atlantic Records and its releases by all artists and all labels. His efforts contributed to the success of the Space Jam Original Soundtrack and Hootie & The Blowfish’s Fairweather Johnson, both of which earned him RIAA Multi-Platinum certifications and awards.
Don also stepped in as a consultant to resolve issues surrounding Pearl Jam’s Fillmore Tour and ticketing. He was responsible for hiring and managing staff to oversee the challenging task of handling ticketing for the rescheduled Pearl Jam shows.
Don Lichterman went on to work in administration for all departments, companies, and labels at PolyGram Holding Company at Worldwide Plaza in New York City. During this time, he took advantage of the company’s tuition reimbursement program to finance his education at NYU’s Stern School of Business.
Some notable highlights from his career include delivering Hanson their first Gold Record Award during their performance at the Beacon Theatre, where they also produced their home video for Mercury Records. Throughout his tenure at PolyGram, Don had the opportunity to coordinate the visits of several prominent public figures, including John F. Kennedy Jr., Reverend Al Sharpton, Dennis Rodman, Ashley Judd, and others. These experiences further shaped his professional journey, expanding his network and deepening his industry connections.
Before founding Sunset in the mid-to-late 2000s, Lichterman managed the Warner Bros. Records catalog, overseeing licensing and royalty accounting. He later transitioned to managing royalty accounting and clearance operations for Warner Music Group, where he earned a Gold Record Award for The Grateful Dead: The Golden Road (1965-1973), which was released in 1999, several years before the acquisition of Rhino Records. Lichterman was also recognized with multiple awards, including a Gold Record, two Platinum Awards, and a Multi-Platinum Award from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for four Limp Bizkit albums.
With a career marked by significant achievements across various sectors of the music industry, Don Lichterman had established himself as a prominent figure in entertainment while at the top entertainment companies in the world, known for his expertise in legal affairs, music licensing, artist promotion, and business management.
Don Lichterman then founded Sunset with the goal of making a significant impact in the live entertainment industry. One of his first major initiatives was to establish a presence in live comedy by partnering with the Laff House Comedy Club in 2006 and 2007. Lichterman spearheaded the creation of those “Live Downloads,” allowing fans to purchase and stream performances from their favorite comedians. This venture led to the release of hit comedy CDs, including Kevin Hart’s I’m A Grown Little Man and Deon Cole’s You Should Have Put Me First, both of which have garnered tens of thousands of daily streams to this day. Additionally, Lichterman was instrumental in recording and releasing stand-up performances from notable comedians such as Roz (who appeared on Last Comic Standing), Mark Simmons, Turae, Big Jay Oakerson, and many others.
Sunset Records and its associated labels also made a mark in the music industry, releasing albums from multi-platinum recording artists and emerging talent. Notable projects included music from Multi Platinum recording Artist, Gina Thompson, Federal Moguls (a side project of members of the Bloodhound Gang), and albums produced by Pat Aeby (Krokus) and Fran Ashcroft (The Dandy Warhols, Gorillaz). Sunset also worked with artists collaborations such as with Bre-Z from the TV show Empire, as well as the Original Black Pantah, who performed in the film Two Shottaz and made a cameo in Wesley Snipes’ The Drop Zone. Additionally, Sunset produced special market releases for iconic artists like INXS, The Rat Pack, Boy George, and many more. Sunset was also mentioned on the Howard Stern Radio Show as a big deal by Lisa G during the Howard Stern News.
As the company grew, Sunset expanded its portfolio into a wide range of ventures. Today, Sunset operates a well known Non-Profit, the Sustainable Action Now, a news division with the TV Network Sunset and Explore New Jersey, six radio stations, six retail outlets, and three product lines with over 20,000 items available for sale across major platforms such as Walmart, Amazon, eBay, and TikTok. The company also developed a streaming app offering hundreds of thousands of movies and TV series on-demand, along with access to nearly 18,000 live TV channels worldwide. Furthermore, Sunset operates a technology division with two web hosting companies—one dedicated to radio stations and the other to websites. Don’s radio show, On The Rampage is broadcast on I Heart Radio and that same podcast is found at all places where anyone listens to podcasts.
Not only has Don garnered many Gold Record awards in the music industry, but he also recently volunteered as the head coach for the New Jersey Special Olympics Basketball and Volleyball teams, leading them to Gold Medals in the Winter and Spring Games, along with a Silver Medal as the assistant coach for their Softball team in the Summer Games.
In addition to its diverse business operations, Sunset has ventured into live music production. Notable events produced by the company include The Crystal Ball on the Atlantic City Beach in New Jersey, Sunset Sunsplash in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Jimi: On Broadway, all of which are currently in production beginning 2024 and 2025.
Don Lichterman’s leadership has transformed Sunset into a multifaceted entertainment powerhouse, blending live music, comedy, technology, retail, and media to create a unique and influential presence in the global entertainment landscape.