Tower Records Founder, Sacramento Icon Russ Solomon Dies At 92
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A Sacramento icon has passed away.
Russ Solomon, who founded Tower Records in Sacramento in the 1960s, reportedly died on Sunday. He was 92.
At its peak, Tower Records had more than 200 stores in 30 countries on 5 continents. But, the company went bankrupt in the mid-2000s as the music industry shifted towards digital.
Solomon was featured in the 2015 documentary "All Things Must Pass," directed by Colin Hanks, which chronicled the rise and fall of the record empire.
The icon's passing has led to an outpouring of remembrances about Solomon and the times people spent in the aisles at Tower Records:
We've lost a Sacamento and National icon. Russ Solomon's contributions to our community will last another 92 years & more. We mourn his loss & our thoughts are with his wife Patti and their family.
— @mayor_Steinberg (@Mayor_Steinberg) March 5, 2018
Founder of Tower Records dies at 92 https://t.co/PGwi07TnB4
Vividly remember opening night VIP party at #RussSolomon's first NYC Tower store, his Greenwich Village flagship. All the great record men of the time were there--Ben Karol of King Karol, even "old man" Sam Goody. Even remember they served tamales.
— Jim Bessman (@JimBessman) March 5, 2018
I loved my local stores (Schoolkids!) but Tower was always stocked. They had everything, majors and indies, domestic and imports, huge magazine rack, too. Must've spent half my teen years in there, half my income too. Time and money well spent! #towerrecords #russsolomon https://t.co/f0voC86iKG
— 7sleepersmusic (@7sleepersmusic) March 5, 2018
#RIP RUSS SOLOMON had an unforgettable meal & convo with him at Bookbinder's 20+ years ago ????
— ᴊιℓℓу мα¢dσωєℓℓ (@jillymacdowell) March 5, 2018
A handful of Tower Records franchises still exist in several countries outside the US.