Historic Day That Busby Won't Be Able To Enjoy
Another music industry executive has passed away. Former President & CEO of Motown Records, Mr. Jheryl Busby, died this morning, November 4.
He was 59. Circumstances around Mr. Busby's death are unknown.
He began his career as an inventory clerk at Mattel Toys, working his way up to new-toy coordinator. Later Busby joined the legendary Memphis-based Stax Records. Eventually, Busby became head of West Coast promotion and marketing for the label.
During the early 1980s, he did promotional work for several record companies, including Casablanca, CBS, A&M, and Atlantic. Employed by MCA Records as vice-president of the black music division in 1984, Busby enjoyed phenomenal success. His promotion of such established singers as Patti LaBelle and up-and-coming acts like New Edition catapulted record sales to $50 million in the mid-1980s. When he ended his career at MCA in the late 1980s--as president of the black music division--his sector was number one in the industry in black album sales.
Mr. Busby segued to Motown Records as the company's President & CEO in 1988, where he oversaw a surge of youthful talent such as Another Bad Creation, Boyz II Men, and Johnny Gill. He was also instrumental in keeping many of the label's legendary artists such as Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross in the limelight with hit projects.
Mr. Busby was appointed head of the urban division at DreamWorks Records in 1998. He left that post in 2001. In 2004, he was named president of Def Soul Classics, a division of Def Jam Records. He would bring his rich expertise as a consultant to companies such as Hidden Beach Recordings, and a venture with producer Mike City, called Umbrella Recordings--releasing the last Carl Thomas album in 2007 and Patti LaBelle's first gospel album, "The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle."
Beyond music, Busby -- along with Janet Jackson and Magic Johnson -- was a major shareholder in the nation's first African-American-owned national bank, Founders National Bank of Los Angeles.
Urban Network.
He was 59. Circumstances around Mr. Busby's death are unknown.
He began his career as an inventory clerk at Mattel Toys, working his way up to new-toy coordinator. Later Busby joined the legendary Memphis-based Stax Records. Eventually, Busby became head of West Coast promotion and marketing for the label.
During the early 1980s, he did promotional work for several record companies, including Casablanca, CBS, A&M, and Atlantic. Employed by MCA Records as vice-president of the black music division in 1984, Busby enjoyed phenomenal success. His promotion of such established singers as Patti LaBelle and up-and-coming acts like New Edition catapulted record sales to $50 million in the mid-1980s. When he ended his career at MCA in the late 1980s--as president of the black music division--his sector was number one in the industry in black album sales.
Mr. Busby segued to Motown Records as the company's President & CEO in 1988, where he oversaw a surge of youthful talent such as Another Bad Creation, Boyz II Men, and Johnny Gill. He was also instrumental in keeping many of the label's legendary artists such as Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross in the limelight with hit projects.
Mr. Busby was appointed head of the urban division at DreamWorks Records in 1998. He left that post in 2001. In 2004, he was named president of Def Soul Classics, a division of Def Jam Records. He would bring his rich expertise as a consultant to companies such as Hidden Beach Recordings, and a venture with producer Mike City, called Umbrella Recordings--releasing the last Carl Thomas album in 2007 and Patti LaBelle's first gospel album, "The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle."
Beyond music, Busby -- along with Janet Jackson and Magic Johnson -- was a major shareholder in the nation's first African-American-owned national bank, Founders National Bank of Los Angeles.
Urban Network.