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==Biography==
Mike Kappus was born in [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin]], United States.<ref name="americanbluesscene1"/> He and some of his friends at the [[University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire]] promoted regional bands and, in 1970 at age 19, Kappus became a licensed [[Talent agent|booking agent]].<ref name="Rose"/> During this time Kappus promoted [[Ted Nugent]] at the [[State Theatre (Eau Claire, Wisconsin)|State Theater]] in Eau Claire for $1,000.<ref name="Pollstar">{{cite web|url=http://www.pollstarpro.com/executiveprofiles/BookingAgency20002001MikeKappus.pdf|format=PDF|title=Executive Interview : Mike Kappus : Rosebud Agency|website=Pollstarpro.com|accessdate=2015-12-12}}</ref> In 1971, he joined an established agency based in [[Milwaukee]]. During the next five years, Kappus procured various musical talent for various clubs and music festivals and universities. These included booking [[Asleep at the Wheel]], [[Jimmy Cliff]], [[Chuck Berry]], [[Bo Diddley]] and [[Sonny Terry]] and [[Brownie McGhee]], plus jazz musicians including [[Grover Washington, Jr.]], [[Weather Report]], [[Rahsaan Roland Kirk]] and [[George Benson]], and rock acts such as the [[MC5]] and [[Styx (band)|Styx]].<ref name="Rose">{{cite web|url=http://www.rosebudus.com/rosebud/founder.html |title=The Rosebud Agency |website=Rosebudus.com |date= |accessdate=2015-12-12}}</ref> He also established relationships with future Rosebud clients such as [[Muddy Waters]], [[Willie Dixon]], [[John Lee Hooker]], [[Mose Allison]], [[John Hiatt]] and [[John P. Hammond]]. In the early through mid-1970s, Kappus also gained further experience while curating a stage at [[Summerfest]] in Milwaukee.<ref name="Pollstar"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://summerfest.com/festival-overview/ |title=Festival Overview | Summerfest, The World's Largest Music Festival |website=Summerfest.com |date=2016-11-21 |accessdate=2017-03-01 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113054349/http://summerfest.com/festival-overview |archivedate=2016-11-13 |df= }}</ref>
In 1976, a few months after relocation to [[San Francisco]], [[California]], Kappus started his own Rosebud Agency. After signing [[Mike Bloomfield]], [[John Hiatt]] and [[Eddie Harris]] on the first day of the new business,<ref name="Rose"/> the agency grew to book about 2000 shows a year worldwide for its 30+ artists. Over the years Kappus helped launch careers for [[Los Lobos]], [[Robert Cray]], [[Ben Harper]], [[George Thorogood|George Thorogood & The Destroyers]], John Hiatt, [[the Neville Brothers]], and [[Trombone Shorty]], whilst helping to raise the profile of veteran artists such as [[Allen Toussaint]], [[Captain Beefheart]], [[Muddy Waters]], [[the Staple Singers]], [[the Blind Boys of Alabama]], [[Albert Collins]], and John Lee Hooker.<ref name="Rose"/> Kappus represented Thorogood's "50/50" tour in 1981,<ref>{{cite news|last=Arar |first=Yardena |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19811020&id=o1ROAAAAIBAJ&sjid=d-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7027,2023867 |title=Thorogood will play 50 states in 50 days |newspaper=The Spokesman Review |date=October 20, 1981 |accessdate=2015-12-12}}</ref> on which the band toured 50 [[U.S. state]]s in the space of 50 days.<ref name="WGN">7th Inning interview on [[WGN (AM)|WGN Radio]], June 27, 2007</ref> Signing with the agency in 1983, Los Lobos grew from playing Los Angeles clubs when they first joined the roster to supporting U2 and touring the world in the wake of their No. 1 single, "[[La Bamba (song)|La Bamba]]",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1987/hot-100 |title=The Hot 100 - 1987 Archive | Billboard Charts Archive |publisher=Billboard.com |date= |accessdate=2017-03-01}}</ref> from the chart-topping soundtrack album of the same name.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1987/billboard-200 |title=Billboard 200 - 1987 Archive | Billboard Charts Archive |publisher=Billboard.com |date= |accessdate=2017-03-01}}</ref> Artists with over 20 years tenure at Rosebud included John P. Hammond, who was represented by Rosebud for 37 years, Loudon Wainwright III, The Blind Boys of Alabama and [[The Dirty Dozen Brass Band]], Robert Cray (22 years), and the late John Lee Hooker (25 years). [[Charlie Watts]] was represented by Rosebud for his rare jazz performances for 17 plus years.<ref name="rosebudus1">{{cite web|url=http://rosebudus.com/rosebud/about.html |title=The Rosebud Agency |website=Rosebudus.com |date= |accessdate=2017-03-01}}</ref>
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The [[Blues Foundation]] named Kappus 'Manager / Agent of the Year' four times.<ref name="Rose"/>
As head of the Rosebud Agency, Kappus incorporated environmental policies and social responsibility issues, which saw the company offices fully converting to solar power in 2000.<ref name="Rose"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2013/11/iconic-rosebud-agency-to-close-.html |title=Iconic Rosebud Agency To Close |website=Hypebot.com |date=2013-11-26 |accessdate=2015-12-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iptv.org/exploremore/energy/story.cfm?id=9364&type=story |title=Why Solar? (Mike Kappus, Environmentalist) |website=Iptv.org |date= |accessdate=2015-12-12}}</ref><ref name="Rose"/> Kappus' environmental concerns also drove him to coordinate two compilations for non-profit, [[Earthjustice]], featuring artists from Tom Waits and Willie Nelson to Norah Jones, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Rubén Blades, Michael Franti, Ani DiFranco, Keb Mo, Ruth Brown, Lou Reed and Etta James.<ref name="rosebudus1"/> Kappus was named as an Independent Board Director for the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation and elected to the Board of Directors at [[Arhoolie Records]]. In addition, he was consulted for San Francisco's [[Hardly Strictly Bluegrass]] Festival.<ref name="Rose"/> The booking side of the Rosebud Agency closed in December 2013.<ref name="Rose"/> Kappus was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2014.<ref name="Blues.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.blues.org/hall-of-fame/other-individuals/ |title=Other Individuals | The Blues Foundation |website=Blues.org |date=2014-06-20 |accessdate=2015-12-12 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923192639/http://www.blues.org/hall-of-fame/other-individuals/ |archivedate=2015-09-23 |df= }}</ref> In the meantime, Rosebud is busy sorting and documenting materials from its 40-year history for archiving at the Southern Folklife Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/20505/ |title=Rosebud Agency Records, circa 1987-1995 |website=Finding-aids.lib.unc.edu |date= |accessdate=2017-03-01}}</ref>
In addition to naming Kappus 'Manager / Agent of the Year' four times, Kappus was chosen to induct Eric Clapton in 2015, Elvin Bishop in 2016, Mavis Staples in 2017 as well as (in the same year) inducting John Lee Hooker's ''[[The Real Folk Blues]]'' album, into the Blues Hall of Fame. Highlights of the Rosebud Agency and Kappus' history are being presented in a featured exhibit at the Blues Hall of Fame, which began in May 2017.<ref>{{cite web|last=Speer |first=Debbie |url=https://www.pollstarpro.com/NewsContent.aspx?cat=0&com=1&ArticleID=830854 |title=Kappus Exhibit Unveiled At Blues HOF |website=PollstarPro.com |date=2017-05-16 |accessdate=2017-05-23}}</ref>
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