RIP...

Pioneering DJ and producer Mark Kamins, who was instrumental in facilitating the signing of Madonna to Sire Records in 1982, has died.

According to BlackBook, on Feb. 14, he suffered “a massive coronary” in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he has been teaching. A family source has confirmed Kamins’ death to Billboard.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Madonna writes…

I’m very sorry to hear about Marks death. I haven’t seen him for years but if it weren’t for him, I might not have had a singing career. He was the first DJ to play my demos before I had a record deal. He believed in me before anyone else did. I owe him a lot. May he Rest in Peace.

Kamins, noted for always living his life in the grandest of fashions, had apparently been struggling with heart problems for some months previous.

Legend has it that he took the budding superstar and clubland habitué Madonna Ciccone under his wing, passing her demo on to Sire Records honcho Seymour Stein, who quickly signed her — the rest, of course, is pop history. Kamins, who also produced her nascent single “Everybody”, would be the first in a line of high-profile Madonna beaus, to be eventually usurped by the likes of Jellybean Benitez and, of course, many others. A significant talent in his own right, he went on to work with radical performance artist Karen Finley, as well as 80’s musical giants such as David Byrne, the Beastie Boys and Sinead O’Connor.

The latest issue of UK magazine Record Collector features a five page article on the making of Madonna's debut single.

The story of Madonna's rise to fame has been told many, many times, but thanks to his exclusive interviews with virtually Everybody who was involved in making the single, the article reveals some cool new facts about Madonna - including the name of yet another unreleased demo from the early years. This feature is possibly one of the most in-depth articles about the making of Madonna's first single.

Included in the article are new and exclusive interviews with Mark Kamins (producer), Bob Blank (studio owner), Butch Jones (studio engineer), Fred Zarr (synths), Leslie Ming (drums), Ira Siegel (guitar), Rob Prinz (Madonna's first agent), Danny Tenaglia (legendary club DJ) and Charlene 'Chardonna' Martinez (the world's first Madonna wanna-be) - many of whom very kindly spoke exclusively and went on the record for the first time about working with Madonna in and out of the studio.

Here is an early performance at Uncle Sam's of the song that began the career of the biggest female artist the world has ever seen. What a shame that them man who played such a big part in the launch has left us. Rest in piece.

Mark Kamins (April 13, 1955 – February 14, 2013)