Tracy Zamot, a longtime music publicist whose career spanned more than three decades and included senior roles at major labels such as Atlantic Records and Virgin EMI Records, has died following a prolonged illness. She was 56. Her family confirmed the news on Tuesday in a Facebook post.
A native of New York, Zamot studied at SUNY Albany before entering the music industry in 1992. She began her career at Atlantic Records, where she spent a decade rising through the ranks to become Vice President of National Publicity. During her tenure, she oversaw national press campaigns across print, television, and early digital platforms for a wide-ranging roster of artists.
At Atlantic, Zamot worked closely with acts including Led Zeppelin (via Jimmy Page and Robert Plant), Phil Collins, Genesis, Matchbox Twenty, Collective Soul, Rush, Pet Shop Boys, and Craig David. Colleagues credited her with helping modernize label publicity operations at a time when the industry was navigating major changes in media and artist exposure.
Zamot later joined Virgin EMI Records, where she continued in a senior publicity role, leading campaigns for artists including Gorillaz, Lenny Kravitz, Iggy Pop, KT Tunstall, and We Are Scientists. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, she was a constant presence at industry events such as the Grammy Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards, representing her artists and labels.
From 2007 to 2009, Zamot served as Senior Vice President of Publicity at Universal Motown Records, where she managed a nine-person team and oversaw publicity strategy for the full roster, including Lil Wayne and Ashanti.
After leaving the major-label system, Zamot worked independently under the Covers Media banner, with clients including Primary Wave, Stones Throw Records, and Sony RED. She later held roles at SiriusXM and Pandora before becoming head of communications at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.
Known within the industry for her sharp instincts and direct communication style, Zamot was widely respected by artists, executives, and journalists alike. Many credited her with understanding both the creative and business sides of music publicity, as well as the evolving demands of the press.
In recent years, Zamot’s life was marked by personal loss following the death of her husband, John Loscalzo, in 2015 at age 52. The two met while working in the music industry and shared one daughter.
Zamot’s legacy remains closely tied to the artists she championed and the decades of music culture she helped shape behind the scenes.
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