Tony Rose, a groundbreaking music executive, producer, and acclaimed book publisher, passed away peacefully at his home in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday, May 30, 2025. He was 74. By his side were his wife of 43 years, Yvonne Rose, and his sister, Felicia Rose.
Rose was best known as a driving force behind Boston’s dynamic Black music scene in the late 1970s and 1980s. A behind-the-scenes powerhouse, he played a critical role in launching the careers of several international superstars and helped define a sound that blended R&B, electro-funk, and pop—bringing it to audiences worldwide.
Born Conant Burleigh Peter Joseph Rose in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, he served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War before pursuing his education at the University of Massachusetts, UCLA, and the New England Conservatory of Music. His professional music journey began in Los Angeles with early roles at WEA and RCA Records, and he later gained experience in publicity at Warren Lanier Public Relations.
In the late 1970s, Rose returned to Boston, quickly establishing himself as a key figure in the city’s evolving Black music ecosystem. Collaborating with influential producers Maurice Starr and Michael Jonzun, he helped lay the foundation for a thriving scene that gave rise to chart-topping acts such as New Edition, New Kids on the Block, The Jonzun Crew, and Prince Charles and the City Beat Band.
Through his label Solid Platinum Records and Productions, Rose managed and produced Prince Charles (Charles Alexander), releasing a string of successful albums including Gang War (1980), Stone Killers (1982), and Combat Zone (1984). His efforts led to a landmark production deal with Virgin Records, making Solid Platinum the first African American-owned production company signed by the label. His projects achieved Gold status and saw their records climbing charts alongside industry giants like Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
In addition to production, Rose was the owner of Hit City Recording Studio, a major Boston facility in the late 1980s that hosted artists including New Kids on the Block. He sold the studio to Maurice Starr in 1990. He also developed and produced Dance Slam, a local dance television pilot aimed at showcasing Boston’s youth talent.
In 1996, Rose embarked on a second act that would be as influential as his first—founding Amber Books, which would become one of the longest-running and most successful African American-owned publishing houses in the United States. Under his leadership, Amber published more than 1,000 titles.
As an author, Rose penned several notable books including Before the Legend: The Rise of New Kids on the Block and a Guy Named Maurice Starr (2011), America: The Black Point of View (2015), and The Autobiography of an American Ghetto Boy (2016). In 2013, he received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature, further cementing his role as a leading cultural voice.
Rose was also a champion of literacy and Black literary entrepreneurship. He co-founded The African American Pavilion at BookExpo America, and spearheaded charitable initiatives such as the Katrina Literary Collective, which donated over 90,000 books to survivors of Hurricane Katrina.
Over the course of his life, Rose earned Gold and Platinum records, Ampex Golden Reel Awards, and a legacy as a visionary mentor, creative executive, and tireless advocate for Black excellence in both entertainment and publishing.
His archives are preserved at the University of Massachusetts Boston, ensuring that future generations will remember the music he helped produce, the stories he helped share, and the cultural landscapes he helped shape.
Tony Rose’s legacy endures—in every beat, every book, and every life he touched.