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Neil Reshen

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Neil Reshen
Reshen in 1975
Born(1939-03-03)March 3, 1939
Danbury, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedDecember 6, 2014(2014-12-06) (aged 75)
The Bronx, New York, U.S.
OccupationsTalent manager, lawyer, accountant
Years active1960–2010
Known forGaining Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson their creative freedom from their respective record labels in 1973, creating the outlaw movement and bringing creative freedom throughout the genre of country music.

Neil Charles Reshen (born March 3, 1939 – December 6, 2014)[1] was a talent manager, lawyer, and accountant, best known for being the manager of both Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson in the 1970s.

In addition to Jennings and Nelson, Reshen throughout his career also served as a manager for performers such as Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, The Velvet Underground, Alice Cooper, David Allan Coe, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joe Shaver, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser, among others. He also served as a manager in other fields as well, having served as the manager for Andy Warhol, Roger Kahn, Peter Golenbock, and Peter Max.[1][2][3]

Career

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Early career; 1960-1972

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By the late 1960s, Reshen was serving as business manager of Bizarre Records, having gone to London to establish European offices for the label. At the time he represented several musicians and artists, including Dion, The Delfonics, Peter Max, Tim Buckley, Linda Ronstadt and Fred Neil.[4][5]

Outlaw country; 1973-1978

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In 1972, Reshen became the manager for Waylon Jennings, who had become more and more dissatisfied with the control that RCA Records had taken over his recordings.[6][7][8]

That same year Jennings had contracted hepatitis and was considering retirement when his drummer and right-hand man, Richie Albright, encouraged him to seek out new management. Reshen, who was based in New York, began negotiating a new agreement between Jennings and RCA.[9] Reshen's style impressed Jennings, with the singer later characterizing his manager as being "like a mad dog on a leash." which had the unintended consequence of giving Reshen his nickname "mad dog".[10][11]

The negotiations holistically changed Jennings' contract situation. Reshen obtained a much larger advance for Jennings and, full artistic control over his recordings which he had been seeking out since moving to Nashville in 1965.[1] Reshen also renegotiated some of Jennings' touring dealings and promoted him outside of traditional country-music venues, including booking him at rock-oriented venues such as Max's Kansas City in New York for a January 17, 1973 concert.[12]

As Jennings and Nelson became increasingly successful, in the mid-1970s, their relationships with Reshen deteriorated. In August 1977, federal authorities intercepted a package of cocaine sent from Reshen's New York office to Jennings. The incident resulted in a brief arrest of Jennings, his secretary Lori Evans, his drummer Richie Albright, and most notably Reshen's assistant Mark Rothbaum. Rothbaum was later sentenced to 18 months in a minimum-security prison for his involvement. After seeing this, upon his release Willie Nelson fired Reshen and hired Rothbaum due to taking the fall with Jennings soon following suit.[10][13][14][15][16]

Later years

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In 1996 Reshen founded Benay Enterprises, in Danbury, Connecticut.[17][1] He would retire in 2010, handing over the reins to his daughter Dawn.[18]

Personal life

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Reshen graduated from Baruch College in 1960.[19][20]

Reshen had two daughters Dawn Reshen-Doty and Amber Bezahler.[3][21]

Death

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Reshen died on December 6, 2014, following complications from Alzheimer's disease.[22][23][2]

Filmography

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Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
2001CMT: Inside Fame: Waylon JenningsSelfFirst television appearance
2023Willie Nelson & FamilySelfS1:E2, S1:E4; Archival footage

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 "Benay Founder Neil Charles Reshen Dies, 75". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Neil Reshen, March 3, 1939-December 6, 2014". No Depression. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Nicholson, Jessica (December 15, 2014). "LifeNotes: Country Artist Manager Neil Reshen". MusicRow. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Reshen on Bizarre Trip To Europe" (PDF). Record World. February 22, 1969. p. 12. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Recording, Distribution Pact by Reprise, Bizarre" (PDF). Record World. February 1, 1969. pp. 4, 10. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  6. ↑ "The Story Of Waylon Jennings' Legendary "$25,000 Piss"". Whiskey Riff. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Remember When 'Wanted! The Outlaws' Made Country Music History?". Taste of Country. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  8. ↑ "What Is Outlaw Country?: A Guide to its History & Artists". Holler Country. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Waylon Jennings". Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Poor Willie". Texas Monthly. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Manager Neil Reshen Dies". CelebrityAccess. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Waylon Jennings: Turning Point, January 1973". The Strange Brew. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Willie Nelson profile". The New Yorker. December 29, 2025. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Willie Nelson Docuseries: Biggest Reveals". New York Daily News. December 22, 2023. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Music City News". Music City News. Vol. 12, no. 12. June 1975. Retrieved October 4, 2026 – via Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
  16. ↑ Reinartz, Joe (December 16, 2014). "Former Waylon, Willie Manager Reshen Dies". Pollstar. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Neil Reshen, Former Outlaw Country Manager, Dies". The Boot. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Benay - providing a Way to simplify work". Benay Enterprises. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  19. ↑ "In Memoriam". Baruch Alumni Magazine. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  20. ↑ @Baruch College Alumni; (June 7, 2018). College Alumni/posts/10155208290381148/ "Meet two staff members from the 1959 Lexicon: Neil Reshen, editorial assistant; and Bernie Beaver, mascot extraordinaire". Retrieved October 4, 2026 – via Facebook. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  21. ↑ "Benay's Got Your Back". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  22. ↑ Fox, Margalit (December 14, 2014). "Neil Reshen, Manager for Country Stars, Dies at 75". The New York Times. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Neil Reshen, at 75; manager for country stars". The Boston Globe. December 25, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
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