Specialist music publisher Dynamite has acquired the catalogue of Terry Kirkman, the principal songwriter of 1960s American band The Association and the writer and lead singer of the choral pop classic "Cherish". The deal, announced on Thursday, brings a piece of "sunshine pop" heritage into the portfolio of a young publisher, with Dynamite's CEO Alan Wallis emphasising Kirkman's range as a writer — from the tender ballad "Cherish" to the anti-war lament "Requiem for the Masses".

The acquisition covers 71 compositions, including full US publishing copyrights of key 1960s songs, worldwide songwriter royalties, the writer's share of public performance income, and artist and neighbouring rights income tied to Kirkman's performances. "Cherish" spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966, while The Association, formed in Los Angeles in 1965, grew out of a 13-piece folk/rock group called The Men. The deal expands Dynamite's roster to around 1,700 songs — which also features works by writers linked to Ed Sheeran, Kendrick Lamar and Dan + Shay — and the rights were sold by Kirkman's widow, Heidi Kirkman. Launched in 2025, Dynamite is backed by Fort Worth-based Crestline Investors, which manages $20.9 billion in assets.