Jheryl Busby, former president and CEO of Motown Records, has died at the age of 59. It's not clear what caused his death, but his body was found in a hot tub at his home in Malibu, and an LA County Assistant Coroner, Ed Winter, has suggested that it may be the result of an accident, or natural causes.
Busby began his career in music at Stax Records, where he advanced to become responsible for West Coast promotion and marketing. After leaving Stax, he worked on promotions for a number of labels, including CBS, A&M and Atlantic. He joined MCA Records in 1984, and by 1988 was president of its black music division, which boasted the likes of Patti LaBelle and New Edition on its roster. In 1988, Busby moved to Motown and during the course of his time there, signed up Boyz II Men and re-signed Diana Ross.
In 1998 Busby moved on to DreamWorks Records, as head of their urban division, staying only a few years before leaving in 2001. In 2004 he was named president of Def Jam division Def Soul Classics, and recently established Umbrella Recordings. Aside from his music interests, he was also a major shareholder in the US's first African-American-owned national bank, Founders National Bank of Los Angeles, alongside the likes of Janet Jackson and Magic Johnson.
Singer Smokey Robinson has paid tribute to Busby, saying in a statement: "I had tremendous respect for the way he continued the Motown legacy... My condolences to his family at this difficult time".