Phil Gernhard, senior VP of A&R for Curb Records has died. He passed away on 22 Feb, but his age and cause of death aren't clear. Instrumental in the careers of the likes of Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina, Steve Holy and Rodney Atkins, Gernhard also produced many tracks, including Maurice Williams And The Zodiacs' 'Stay' and Lobo's 'Me And You And A Dog Named Boo', and composed and produced 'Snoopy vs. The Red Baron' by the Royal Guardsmen.
Friend and colleague, Curb Records chairman Mike Curb, said in a statement: "We've lost a very valued friend of over 40 years, who played a major role in the building of our company. Phil was one of those rare talents who had the ability to tell people the truth even when it wasn't popular, but that was what made him such a special contributor to the lives of every artist he touched. He will be greatly missed and there will be a tremendous void in all of our lives".