Mr. Armand J. Sadlier Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Armand John Sadlier, 65, of Highland, Maryland, a pioneering talent/booking agent and event promoter for over 40 years, died of complications from kidney disease on June 15, 2022, surrounded by his family. Born April 21, 1957 in Erie, Pennsylvania to Armand Leroy (Lee) Sadlier and Loretta (Cameroni) Sadlier, Mr. Sadlier grew up in Erie and was a 1975 graduate of Fairview High School. After some time spent in the “School of Life”, Armand moved to New York City and became a talent agent. In 1982, he relocated to the Washington DC area and became a partner in an agency then known as Stage Productions. He later created his own agency known as Vision International, which he owned and operated until his death. Armand had a superior ear for spotting new talent, finding and representing many well-known bands far in advance of their fame. Among these are Phish, Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, Vertical Horizon, Leftover Salmon, Umphrey’s McGee, Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Samples, Uncle Tupelo, Steven Lynch, Pat McGee Band, Freddy Jones Band, Paul and Storm/DaVinci’s Notebook, and many more. Mr. Sadlier was a visionary in the world of live concert entertainment, realizing very early in his career that there was lasting popular demand for tribute bands that emulated the music of other famous bands. He was well known in the industry for representing the best of the best in tribute bands, such as the Back Doors, Bruce in the USA, and Hollywood Nights among many. Armand created a 3 day destination music festival called Jam In The Dam, which he planned and promoted in Amsterdam, Netherlands from 2005 through 2012. This event was among the first to bring American jam bands to Europe in an organized festival format. The festival was held at the venerable Melkweg in Amsterdam, and its indoor location was welcomed by those seeking an alternative to outdoor camping experiences at music festivals. Jam In The Dam is legendary among jam band aficionados as one of the best organized and most enjoyable jam festivals ever created. He also created and promoted entertainment sea cruises involving his acts, particularly Jonathan Coulton, which continued for over 7 years and were a smashing success. Armand met the love of his life, Leslie (Kagan) Sadlier, in 1990, and they were married in 1994. Mr. Sadlier is survived by his wife Leslie, their son Corey of Wyoming, Delaware, and their daughter Leigh and her husband Carson Marshall, of Watertown, New York. He is also survived by his sister Gail, of Atlanta, Georgia. He was predeceased by his great friend and cousin Brad Pamula, who passed away in 2019. Armand was beloved by a great many, who valued his sincerity, wit and humor, intelligence, warm smile, welcoming and unassuming manner, and kind disposition. These qualities never wavered, even when he faced the challenge of undergoing a double lung transplant in 2008. He affected many lives all over the world with his creativity and vision. He was well known for saying that he just “wanted to hook people up”. And this he did. A Celebration of Life is being planned and will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Lung Transplant Foundation. Online condolences may be offered at www.haightfuneralhome.com

Mr. Armand J. Sadlier

April 21, 1957 - June 15, 2022