Music industry veteran Paul Atkinson died last Thursday in California after a long battle with liver and kidney disease, aged 58.

Atkinson's career as a musician and record executive has spanned almost four decades. He started as a guitarist for The Zombies, but made the transition from artist to executive when his career switched to A&R. Atkinson signed a range of acts including Abba, Bruce Hornsby, Judas Priest and Patty Smyth, while heading up A&R at three of the major labels ...