Donald Dempsey

Donald Dempsey Sr. (1932 – 27 January 2005) was an American recording executive who helped launch Ozzy Osbourne and Merle Haggard.

For 25 years Dempsey was a senior vice president with CBS Records. During this time, as general manager of Epic Records, Portrait Records and CBS Associated Labels Group , he worked with The Clash, Culture Club, The Isley Brothers, George Jones, Quiet Riot, Ricky Skaggs and Luther Vandross. His career high is seen to be the aggressive marketing of Michael Jackson's 1982 album Thriller, which sold over 40 million copies.

He died on 27 January 2005 of a stroke at his home in Kissimmee, Florida. He is survived by his son, Don Dempsey Jr. of New York.