Bill Bentley (born August 24, 1950, Houston, Texas, United States)[1] is an American music industry executive, particularly notable for having produced tribute albums of the music of significant cult artists Roky Erickson (1990), Skip Spence (1999), Doug Sahm (2009) and Lou Reed (to be released in 2024), in addition to other recording projects.
[1][6] Bentley had also developed an admiration for the 13th Floor Elevators during the Sixties, following the band extensively to dozens of Houston concerts starting at La Maison in 1965 on through to their last performances at Love Street Light Circus and Feel Good Machine in 1968.
In his role as a publicist, he has worked with such artists as Los Lobos, Elvis Costello, The Blasters, Green Day, X, Lou Reed, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and R.E.M.
[8][9] In 1990, upon learning of the financial distress of Roky Erickson, founder of the 13th Floor Elevators, Bentley organized a tribute album for him, for the purpose of raising funds.
[12] Bentley was with Warner Bros. Records from 1986 to 2006, at which point he became the personal public relations representative of Neil Young,[13] as well as the chief executive officer of Sonic Boomers Inc.,[14] an internet-based music news and information site, modeled "as something like Pitchfork Media for the older set, or maybe something like No Depression on the Web.
Bentley produced a second tribute album for the late singer Roky Erickson, titled May the Circle Remain Unbroken, released by Light in the Attic Records July 2021.
Bill Bentley also produced the Lou Reed tribute album The Power of the Heart, released by Light in the Attic Records on April 20, 2024, featuring Keith Richards, Rufus Wainwright, Rickie Lee Jones and other artists.