obituary
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Egidio Cuadrado, an icon in Colombia’s music scene and Carlos Vives’ longtime accordion player, is dead at the age of 71. The vallenato star passed away due to health complications related to pneumonia on Monday (Oct. 21) in Bogota.
“With deep sorrow, the Clínica Universitaria Colombia wishes to inform the public that vallenato artist Egidio Cuadrado has passed away in our institution,” an official press release by La Clínica Universitaria Colombia noted.
“Today we say goodbye to him, paying tribute not only to his career, but to the humble man who, with his accordion, made us part of his family by calling us all ‘compadres y comadres, compadritos y comadritas,’” Vives expressed in a statement to Billboard. “Egidio Cuadrado, the same one who never left his vueltiao hat, his Arhuaca backpack and his 12 accordions, will remain forever in our hearts; longing for that vallenato song that permeated his noble heart and telling the world that life has the greatest meaning when the accordion of a Vallenato King like him plays.”
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Cuadraro was born in Villanueva, La Guajira, and learned to play the accordion at the age of six. In the early ‘90s, he formed part of Vives’ tropical orchestra La Provincia, giving life to the tropipop sound that blends the spirit of vallenato music with contemporary pop-rock melodies.
Embodying Colombian folk music, Cuadrado’s artistry gave life to some of Vives’ biggest albums including 1995’s La Tierra del Olvido. In 2021, The Latin Recording Academy honored him with the Trustees Award, bestowed on individuals who have made significant contributions to Latin music during their careers in ways other than performance.
“An artist is made by his audience — without you this award would have no value, to Latin Grammys for reminding us today of the importance of our local music and our Colombian identity and finally to my accordion, my first friend and an extension of my body,” Cuadrado wrote on his Instagram account when he received the award.
Earlier this year, Cuadrado formed part of Vives’ “Regreso a Escalona” documentary made available through ViX’s premium streaming plan.
“His passing leaves a deep void in the music and lives of those who knew him,” Vives continued in his heartfelt statement shared with Billboard. “With his accordion, he wove melodies that resonated throughout the world, at Colombian parties and at family gatherings, creating a bond between generations. His warm smile and generous spirit transformed each chord into a sonorous embrace, and his words, always full of affection, made everyone feel like part of his family. Today, as we remember him, we celebrate not only his immense talent, but also the legacy of love and joy he left in every note. Egidio, your music will live on in every corner where the echo of your accordion is heard.”
James Leach, vp of creative services and West Coast operations for SESAC, passed away on Thursday (Oct. 17) in Los Angeles. The well-respected music industry executive died following a battle with cancer.
Beginning his tenure at SESAC in 2001 as director of writer/publisher relations, Leach covered pop, R&B and rock. During his 23 years with the performing rights organization, Leach signed funk legend George Clinton, Lalah Hathaway and Ab-Soul as well as songwriter/producers such as Nate “Danja” Hills, Harvey Mason Jr. (The Underdogs) and John “Jaylien” Wesley. He also established the company’s Los Angeles office.
Paying tribute to Leach, SESAC commented in part on its website, “Emanating from his warmth, kindness and enthusiasm for life, James will continue to shine light on those he knew … James was not just a leader for the Los Angeles-based creative services team but a constant wellspring of support and inspiration for SESAC-affiliated songwriters and publishers. In addition to his deep love of music and unwavering dedication to nurturing talent was his advocation of culture and DEI. He continuously promoted awareness and understanding. His ethos of service and making things better was the keystone of his work.”
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Hailing from Montclair, N.J., before relocating as a teen with his family to L.A., Leach graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in broadcast management. His lifelong love affair with music and the arts laid the foundation for a multi-faceted career that included stints in TV and radio sales, as a recording studio owner and as the head of his own music placement firm, Leach Entertainment. Internships at Famous Music and Michael Jackson’s ATV Music (prior to its merger with Sony) led to his being appointed director of creative affairs at ATV. During his seven years there, Leach signed writer/producers like Keith Crouch and Derek Allen and also worked with the catalogs of Jackson, The Beatles and Sly & the Family Stone.
Returning to Famous Music as director of creative affairs/urban music, Leach signed then-unknown songwriter/artist Akon. After leaving Famous, Leach worked as a music supervisor and consultant. His credits in that arena include the popular ‘90s series New York Undercover and Magic Johnson’s The Magic Hour.
A Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players honoree in 2019, Leach was presented with the Entertainment Advocate Award by the Living Legends Foundation in 2015. He also served on the foundation’s advisory board.
Calling Leach “the consummate professional,” Living Legends Foundation chairman David C. Linton tells Billboard, “He brought such value to enhance our mission of ‘service, scholarship and preserving the legacy of Black music executives.’ His presence will be missed both professionally and personally. Our prayers go out to his family and all who know and love him.”
Leach is survived by his mother, Claudia Leach, in addition to his siblings and other family members. The family is asking that donations in his honor be made to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.
Twitch’s head of music, Cindy Charles, has died after being involved in a traffic accident last week in The Netherlands.
Twitch CEO Daniel Clancy confirmed Charles’ death Friday (Oct. 18) on LinkedIn. Clancy remarked that “anyone that uses music on Twitch owes a debt of gratitude to Cindy’s work. She always had a bright smile on her face even as she negotiated unprecedented music licensing agreements for Twitch including the recent DJ agreement.”
That deal, which specifically covers DJs who live-stream on the platform, was announced in June and involved Twitch signing music licensing deals with all three major labels — Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment — as well as many indie labels represented by Merlin.
Charles was meant to speak on a panel Thursday (Oct. 17) at the Amsterdam Dance Event, an annual dance music industry conference in the Dutch capital, offering expertise for DJs using Twitch.
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Before her six years at Twitch, Charles worked as an independent digital media consultant and also spent three years at Amazon, where she worked as the head of business development in the music department of Amazon Ticketing, along with working in the Video Shorts department. Earlier in her career, she spent seven years at Viacom, where she managed digital legal and business affairs for entities within MTV Networks.
Beyond those positions, Charles served as an advisor to the board of governors at the Recording Academy, was a co-founder of Women in Digital, which has more than 1,500 members, and co-founded the San Francisco chapter of She is the Music.
Charles was based in Berkeley, Calif., and grew up in Queens, N.Y., majoring in political science at SUNY Buffalo. She is survived by her husband, Ricky Fishman, and her two sons.
“Every success, every setback, every moment of working toward our shared mission felt deeply personal,” Twitch’s Kira Karlstrom wrote in a remembrance of Charles, “because Cindy made it that way. She cared about her team with all her heart, and our work was an extension of that care.”
Dorothy “Dottie” Leonard Miller, an entrepreneurial executive who founded several influential gospel and Christian music companies during a career spanning decades, died Friday (Oct. 11) at age 79.
After launching her own distribution company, New Day Christian Distributors, in 1981, Miller went on to create a veritable empire in the faith-based music business, with subsequent ventures including DayWind Soundtracks, DayWind Records, DayWind Music Publishing, two recording studios, and a cassette and CD manufacturing facility. More recently, she expanded her businesses to encompass DayWind Worship (choral music), Spiritus Distribution (Catholic products), Billy Blue Records (bluegrass), Billy Jam Records (country and Americana), Billy Blue Publishing and the DayWind Music Foundation, which provides an internet radio station focused on Southern Gospel.
“Dottie was a visionary, a pioneer, she was determined, humble, and generous,” said Rick Shelton, vp of DayWind Publishing, in a statement. “Serving her vision, her artists, her songwriters and the industry she loved has been a tremendous honor. What she did with her life touched the lives of so many.”
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Across her various music ventures, Miller worked with a laundry list of gospel and Christian artists including the Cumberland Boys, Greater Vision, the Crabb Family, Karen Peck and New River, Brian Free and Assurance, The Isaacs, Triumphant Quartet, Down East Boys, the Perrys, the Hoppers, Jonathan Wilburn, the Steeles, the Nelons, Lefevre Quartet, Michael English, Appalachian Road Show, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Tennessee Bluegrass Band, Carolina Blue, Kristy Cox and Grasstime, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, and Bob Minner.
Miller’s success garnered her a slew of awards over the years, including lifetime achievement awards from the Gospel Music Association, BMI and the Southern Gospel Music Guild. She was also inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
“Dottie Leonard’s story is a woman with vision, faith, and courage to make a difference,” said Jackie Patillo, president of the Gospel Music Association, in a statement. “Her work and tenacity will be forever remembered as will her legacy as a single mother, founder of Daywind Records, and New Day Distribution, and member of the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame. On behalf of the GMA Board of Directors and the entire gospel music community, we say farewell to Dottie and offer our deepest condolences to her family as she has now received her greatest reward.”
Born Aug. 10, 1945, in Wilmington, Del., Miller’s early jobs included clerical work at an accounting firm and a law firm, selling Jhirmack hair products, and working for the Democratic Party of Tennessee on campaigns for Senator Jim Sasser, President Jimmy Carter and more. As a single mother raising two children in Hendersonville, Tenn., she made ends meet throughout this early period by working a second job in ER admissions at a local hospital.
Miller’s first music industry job came when she was hired as a receptionist at Calvary Records in Nashville. She went on to work with radio stations and Christian bookstores promoting artists including the Hinsons and the Telestials. She later took a job at Windchime Records, where she worked with artists including the Paynes and Heavenbound before founding New Day with funding from her father, brother Bill Golt and family friend Ray Lorrig.
In addition to her family, co-workers, friends and artists, Miller enjoyed spending time in Florida and at her cabin in Lafayette, Tenn., where she had alpacas, donkeys and goats. Her travels took her throughout the U.S., Europe, Africa and the Caribbean.
Miller is survived by her daughter, Susan Leonard Sovine, and grandchildren Taylor McKellar and Kennedy Sovine; her son, Ed Leonard, his wife Kathleen, and their children Eddie Leonard, Mary Leonard, Evan Leonard, Aidan Leonard (Caroline Leonard), Rachael Zuckett (Joey Zuckett), Caroline Leonard, Ian Leonard, Liam Leonard, and Emily Leonard; her great-grandchildren Leo Zuckett and Eloise Joyce; her sister, Cynthia Paranczak; and her longtime companion, Jere Miller. She was preceded in death by her brother, Bill Golt, and her parents, William and Dorothy Golt.
A celebration of Miller’s life will be held at a later date.
You can read more tributes to Miller below.
“For the more than forty years of our friendship, Dottie was a champion for our genre’s Music. She was a pioneer in her field, and she was passionate about her mission to get The Gospel to as many people as possible. I will miss her enthusiasm and our conversations, which always included lots of laughter. My friend is with The Lord, but we WILL meet again, soon!” – Gerald Wolfe, Greater Vision
“Dottie was one of my greatest heroes and influences. She blazed the trail for many of us in Southern Gospel Music. I love that she always trusted the Lord in fulfilling her dreams of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ into all the world. Those dreams became realities. Now she is reaping the harvest of the many souls she touched for the cause of Christ. I love and appreciate Dottie more than words can express. She will be greatly missed. Her legacy will live on forever.” – Karen Peck-Gooch, Karen Peck & New River
“Almost 30 years ago I met a wonderful, smart, classy lady named Dottie. She had the ability to make you smile even when you didn’t necessarily feel like it. She lit up a room the moment she walked in no matter who else was there. She also showed the world she was a savvy businesswoman by starting the best record company in the world. I’ll miss you Dottie and so will many other people but I’m glad you’re not in pain anymore. I’ll never forget your smile.” – Brian Free, Brian Free & Assurance
“I’ve been with Daywind Records for over 20 years. I’ll never forget Dottie taking a chance on signing me after I got out of rehab and I was only six months clean and sober. She will be truly be missed” – Joseph Habedank
“She was a front runner in a world where businesses were run by men. She was an incredibly strong woman. She gave a lot of families hope and jobs. Nothing got in the way of her vision. On a personal side, our family has been a part of Daywind for over 25 years. We love Dottie. When Shellye and I first got married, we were doing everything we could to make ends meet. Dottie would give us her condo to have a vacation. Dottie was special to all of us. She is forever going to be miss. BUT can you imagine what she’s doing right now? She’s having a time. We wouldn’t bring her back for nothing. Dottie, enjoy it. You told everybody about. You helped everybody tell others about it. Welcome into the kingdom.” – Jason Crabb
“We can only imagine the reunion our beloved friend Dottie is having with so many artists she helped and loved along the way. She is home and at perfect peace with her Savior who is no doubt smiling with her because of the incredible heavenly choir she helped ensure with her earthly faithfulness. We will join them one day and we will all finally feel complete. Dottie, you are so loved and will be missed so much.” – The Isaacs
“Our beautiful Dottie Leonard has taken her flight like a mighty eagle. What an exceptional woman of faith, wisdom, foresight, courage and excellence; she paved the way for so many of us! She was a true fan of Gospel Music and believed it was her lifelong calling to ensure that great gifts in us are to be celebrated & given worldwide platforms. On a personal note…. she was/is a dear friend whose legacy will live forever. She was the treasure of encouragement. We didn’t ‘lose’ her… we know exactly where she is! Please give Mama Dottie Rambo a hug from me. Love you so much… see you at The House.” – Reba Rambo
“Dottie was one of the most respected and admired people in Southern Gospel music and beyond! Her work ethic was what one should strive to emulate. Awarded here, rewarded on Heaven’s shore!” – Doyle Lawson
“We will always remember Dottie as a sweet, dedicated, woman of God, who changed the world with her love of gospel music, and we will be forever grateful for the gift of her encouragement in our lives.” – Jim and Melissa Brady
“I met Dottie over 30 years ago, and I knew then I had met a “life friend”. She was a friend, business partner, and great counselor. Life was made sweeter because of her love for me. I will meet her again because of our belief in the savior, Jesus Christ.” – Jonathan Wilburn
“Had it not been for Dottie Leonard Miller, you would have never heard a song I’d written, a track I’d produced, or an orchestration I’d created. She believed in me when others didn’t. She believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. She gave us the truest example of how faith in motion works. And now her faith has become sight. I am heartbroken, but I know I will find her again.” – Wayne Haun
“Dottie Leonard Miller wasn’t just a pioneer; she was a trailblazer with a heart full of faith and a vision that reshaped the landscape of Southern Gospel music and the Christian bookstore industry. Through Daywind Records and New Day Christian Distribution, she brought light, and hope to so many, empowering artists, songwriters, bookstores, publishers, record labels and touching countless lives. Her legacy is one of unwavering dedication and belief in the power of the gospel to change hearts. We have lost a true giant and a treasured friend, but her spirit will continue to inspire us every day.” — Dusty Wells, Director of A&R and Label Relations, Daywind Music Group
“Dottie Leonard Miller was a true inspiration and encourager to many across this country and around the world. Her love for others and leadership through Gospel Music will continue to impact lives for decades to come.” – Gary Casto, Tribute Quartet
“Dottie was a visionary and a pioneer. People with that gift and calling are a breed apart, often questioned and sometimes misunderstood, but fiercely dedicated to allowing the dream inside them to manifest itself in the physical realm. Dottie’s dedication to that dream and its’ subsequent value will only fully be recognized in eternity. The music she championed reverberates not only on earth but in heaven as well, and countless lives have been changed, hearts have been encouraged, and burdens lightened by the message of the resources provided by New Day Distribution and Daywind Records. Thank you, Dottie, for being true to the call God had on your life. We are all blessed by the fruit you bore and your faithfulness to never give up.” – Billy Blackwood, Blackwood Brothers Quartet
“Dottie Leonard Miller’s passion for music was unmatched. And, her vision and God-given ability to use the power of that music to reach people in a positive way through the companies she has built, has literally impacted millions of lives over her long and illustrious career. She was easily one of the strongest women and most faithful servants of God I have ever known. She was so proud of our Daywind, New Day, and Billy Blue family, and she loved and appreciated each and every artist and member of our family. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy will be honored by continuing to spread the Gospel and love of Jesus Christ through the music and products we create.” – Jerry Salley, A&R/Creative Director, Billy Blue Records
Mitzi Gaynor, a beloved star of the 1950s whose effervescent personality, radiant personality and triple-threat skills as an actress, singer and dancer earned her a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Ensign Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific had died at 93.
The star’s managers announced her death in an Instagram post, noting that she “passed away peacefully” on Thursday morning (Oct. 17) of natural causes. “For eight decades she entertained audiences in films, on television and on the stage,” read the announcement. “She truly enjoyed every moment of her professional career and the great privilege of being an entertainer.”
Gaynor, born Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber in Chicago on Sept. 4, 1931, was best known for her run of starring roles in a series of 1950s movie musicals, including 1954’s There’s No Business Like Show Business, 1956’s Anything Goes and 1957’s Les Girls. Born to a violinist father and dancer mother, Gaynor got an early start on her career when her family moved from Detroit to Los Angeles when she was 11-years-old, leading to her landing a spot as a singer/dancer in the Los Angeles Civil Light Opera two years later.
By 17, she signed a contract with Twentieth Century-Fox, making her film debut in 1950’s My Blue Heaven, where she starred alongside Betty Grable. By the next year she landed her first starring role in the musical western Golden Girl, where she played a character based on early 20th century actress Lotta Crabtree.
Her first big screen success came in 1952 with the musical Bloodhounds of Broadway — based on a Damon Runyon story — which kicked off nearly a decade of starring roles that showcased her versatility and winning, shining personality, which manifested in film with a mix of innocence and sex appeal. She shared the screen with such established stars of the day as Ethel Merman, Johnnie Ray and Marilyn Monroe and sang songs penned by Irving Berlin in There’s No Business Like Show Business, as well as Bing Crosby and Donald O’Connor in the 1956 adaptation of Cole Porter’s stage musical Anything Goes. Other highlights included 1957’s The Joker Is Wild, with Frank Sinatra and Charles Vidor, and that year’s Les Girls, which also featured music by Porter and co-starred Gene Kelly.
Her winning streak continued with top billing in the WWII romantic musical South Pacific, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for best motion picture actress – comedy/musical for her exuberant performances of “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair” and “Some Enchanted Evening.” She appeared in a handful of other movies over the next few years, including 1963’s For Love or Money with Kirk Douglas, Gig Young and Julie Newmar, before pivoting to a successful run as the hots of a series of TV specials.
“I quit films because they quit me,” she told the TV Academy Foundation in a 2012 in explaining why she moved from the big screen to the little one. “Marilyn Monroe was now the new Alice Faye/Betty Grable, she was doing the musicals at Fox. I wasn’t going to do My Fair Lady, and I wasn’t going to [sing] ‘The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Screaming’ — there was nothing for me to do.”
She famously performed between the two sets by the Beatles on a Feb. 16, 1964 episode of the Ed Sullivan Show, singing a 13-minute medley of “Too Darn Hot” along with “The More I See You,” “Birth of the Blues” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.” The episode from the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach aired a week after Sullivan legendarily introduced the Fab Four to American audiences in one of the most-watched TV moments of all time.
Before he teamed up with Cher, Gaynor was glittery celebrity gown designer Bob Makie’s first A-list client, modeling his one-of-a-kind creations during her stint as a headliner in Las Vegas in the 1960s.
That run paved the way for Gaynor’s first TV special, Mitzi, which aired on NBC in Oct. 1968 and was followed by a second one on the network the next year, as well as half a dozen similar song-and-dance specials on CBS from 1973-1978; her nine specials were nominated for a total of 16 Emmy Awards, though she didn’t take one home until 2008 thanks to her PBS special Mitzi Gaynor: Razzle Dazzle! The Special Years.
A frequent performer on the Academy Awards broadcasts — wowing the crowd in 1954 with her take on “The Moon Is Blue” and again in 1959 with her signature “There’s No Business Like Show Business” — Gaynor also recorded two albums for Verve Records, 1959’s Mitzi and Mitzi Gaynor Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gerswhin.
“We take great comfort in the fact that her creative legacy will endure through her many magical performances capture on film and video, through her recordings and especially through the love and support audiences around the world have shared so generously with her throughout her life and career,” wrote managers Rene Reyes and Shane Rosamonda in their tribute.
See the statement announcing Gaynor’s death and some of her career highlights below.
In 2016, the conservative-leaning New York Post outed Kaseem Ryan‘s career as a New York City firefighter, in which he was a 9/11 first responder and rose to the rank of captain. You see, the Post took umbrage with the “anti-cop” rhetoric in his raps and felt the need to lift the veil of the rapper known as Ka, one of the genre’s most mysterious figures.
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Ka approached rap music differently than his peers. He produced most of his songs and music videos, often during his off time from saving lives as a fireman. His words came across as brutal, humble, calm, and wise all at once. His beats evoked a cold winter night when the only people outside were the hustlers and the late-night stragglers looking for that last fix before the sun comes up and the block gets hot again. He would host pop-ups to sell his latest albums and meet his fans. Most of the time the only way to hear his music was to go to his website and buy it directly from him. And he would handle every online order himself. He was truly a man of and for the people, and he believed in the sanctity of hip-hop to his core.
In 2012, while sitting down with Out Da Box TV, Ka explained his creative process and how he felt about the state of hip-hop at the time. “I’m a purist. To me hip-hop is a beautiful artform that I feel isn’t being respected as such now,” he said before going on a minor rant about the trend of not writing rhymes popularized by acts Jay-Z and Lil Wayne. “I was taking offense to all that shit,” he added. “Ayo, B, it takes time to sculpt. [The] Sistine Chapel wasn’t done [on] how fast you could do it; the shit was done over years. David wasn’t sculpted in, you know, ‘Yo, I did that in a day.’ There’s no time on art. When I’m doing a verse, it takes me a long time to do the verse, and as far as doing the verse, I’m speaking from a lifetime of experiences. It took a lifetime to write that.”
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His approach was just as profound as his music. There are lines from his work that stick to you. On the song “I’m Ready” from his 2013 album The Knight’s Gambit, towards the end of the chorus he raps, “If judged by a scale I pray my righteousness is heavy/ I’m ready, I’m ready” in his raspy voice as if he was already grappling with the prospect of what awaits him beyond this life. I would say that his righteousness was indeed heavy, judging by the outpouring of kind words from his peers and fans alike. Frequent collaborator and one half of their group Metal Clergy, Roc Marciano called Ka his “big brother” and “guardian angel.” The Alchemist called him “a living prophet.” Fans posted pictures of themselves with him at his pop-ups and mentioned how accessible and friendly he was.
His art resonated with people because they felt the effort he put in and the pain he was holding inside. Sure, he was a captain for the FDNY, but he grew up in Brownsville during the crack era, and seemed to be working through survivor’s remorse in his music. “I wanted them to know this is personal what I’m giving you,” he said in that same Out Da Box interview. “This is blood I’m giving you. I’m not spittin’ this s–t, this is blood. I needed them to know that, to appreciate it, that if you don’t hear a lot from me, it’s because I’m pulling a lot from me and I’m actually expending a lot of energy to give you these songs. So, I just want you to appreciate it.”
And we did.An artist like Ka wasn’t defined by numbers or trophies — he was defined by the art, by the culture, by the people. In an interview with Passion of the Weiss, he spoke on living two lives and what he wanted his legacy to be. “I’m living two lives, man. I’m trying to be who I am in the day and then trying to feed my soul at night with being the artist that I want to be,” he told the outlet. “I want to respect the culture and give back what it gave to me. The reason I’m alive right now is because of hip-hop.
He continued about the music that saved his life: “It made me want to be a smarter person. It made me want to read, so I would write better rhymes. It was that important to me. It gave me drive; I wanted to be the best MC there ever was. Hip-hop don’t have a museum like this yet but if we have, I want to be a wing. I want to be my own f–king room, the Ka chamber right here. ‘At the time he was doing it, there wasn’t a lot of light on it, but yo, we went back and checked it, that s–t was incredible’ — that’s what I want. Van Gogh, he wasn’t revered, he cut his ear off and killed himself later on. That man wasn’t known until years after his death – he needed to have known what he was during the time he was alive.”
Ka leaves this life behind as being one of the best rappers of his era and as an even better man. It’s our duty now to continue to tell his story and put people on to his music, so that he can live forever.
Gonzo Lübel, an L.A.-based artist manager who represented acts including The Marías and Peach Tree Rascals, tragically died in a plane crash Tuesday (Oct. 8) on Catalina Island. He was 34.
“The entire Red Light family is devastated by this loss and our hearts go out to Gonzo’s family, friends and all those who knew and worked with him,” said Red Light in an Instagram post. “Gonzo truly had the biggest of hearts and was a beloved member of our team. A kind individual, he was a friend to all whom he encountered. His positive impact on all of us will be remembered forever.”
Lübel, who had worked at Red Light Management for roughly three years, also represented several other artists at the firm, including Inner Wave and Cash Bently. Outside of his work in the music industry, friends say he was a lover of animals — especially his foster dog Virgil — and enjoyed flying planes.
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In a tribute on Instagram, The Marías said of Lübel’s passing: “rest in peace gonzi. thank you for always being undeniably you. the animals in heaven are so lucky they get to spend their days with you.”
In a subsequent post, the bilingual alt-pop band added: “our manager, friend and family for six years, but a part of us forever. you were there for all of our firsts. our first project, our first tour, our first headline show, our first sold out show, our first million streams, our first coachella, our first album, our first grammy nomination. thank you.”
Joseph Barros, a member of Peach Tree Rascals, also shared a tribute to Lübel via an Instagram story, saying, “It’s hard to accept you’re not here with us anymore, but I’m grateful to have met such a genuine soul I could call my brother your spirit lives on in me from all the beautiful memories we made. You always told me you believed in me & I promise I’ll make you proud. love you Gonzito. rest in peace.”
This Trip Travel, a company that hosts retreats for music industry professionals, also shared a carousel of photos of Lübel at last year’s manager summit in Mexico with the caption: “Gonzo was a true one of a kind. A brilliant manager, a caring friend and a heart of gold… We love you Gonzo, we’ll hold you in our hearts forever.”
Lübel is survived by his mother Mariana Garcia, his brother Federico Lübel, nieces Mila and Lucia Lübel, wife Cristina Pillajo and best friend Sandy Kanphantha.
Jackmaster, the Scottish DJ and producer Jack Revill who co-founded the Glasgow record label and club night Numbers, has died, his family has confirmed. He was 38.
The news of Jackmaster’s death was posted in a message from his family that was shared on the DJ’s verified Instagram account.
He died on Saturday, Oct. 12, in Ibiza after suffering a head injury, according to the statement.
“It is with profound sorrow that we confirm the untimely passing of Jack Revill, known to many as Jackmaster,” his family wrote. “Jack tragically died in Ibiza on the morning of 12th October, following complications arising from an accidental head injury.”
“His family — Kate, Sean, and Johnny — are utterly heartbroken. While deeply touched by the overwhelming support from friends, colleagues, and fans, the family kindly requests privacy as they navigate the immense grief of this devastating loss,” the statement said.
Their words paid tribute to the eclectic DJ’s creative and professional accomplishments, and his role in the electronic music community: “Jack’s passion for music and his relentless drive to push creative boundaries through his work at the Numbers label and Rubadub Records in Glasgow, including discovering countless innovative artists, made him a beloved and pioneering figure in the electronic music community both in front of and behind the scenes. His talent for blending genres and delivering electrifying DJs sets and productions earned him the respect and admiration of peers and fans across the globe. His legacy will continue to inspire, and his impact on the world of dance music will remain indelible.”
Born in 1986, Revill worked at Glasgow record shop Rubadub and was an aspiring DJ as a teen, and adopted the nickname, and later stage name, Jackmaster in reference to the freestyle dance term from the Chicago house scene in the 1980s.
“I never worked for money,” he said in 2012 interview with Resident Advisor. “It was always just like, you would take a record per hour, so an import from Detroit or Chicago or New York was £7.50, which I guess you could say was quite a good wage.”
“I used to love it, even like the smell of the place, I was just obsessed with that shop,” Revill recalled of Rubadub, where he’d get his hands on new promo records and get to borrow them for gigs, access that he noted was “invaluable.” It was there that he built early industry connections and broadened his exposure to every subgenre.
In an interview with Billboard in 2017, Revill credited his 2011 FabricLive.57 mix, which contained foundational Detroit records (Model 500, Inner City, Underground Resistance) and surprises from mainstream pop (Sia, Radiohead, Skepta) as the mix that “catapulted me into being a DJ who has gigs every Friday and every Saturday, and it’s been that way ever since.”
Of the sheer variety of music in his sets, he told Billboard, “It just goes everywhere, then back again. Even I don’t know what’s coming next most of the time. My sets at their most eclectic would include everything I like: house, techno, disco, Italo, dubstep, grime, ’80s pop and everything in between.”
With Jackmaster’s name on the lineup at well-known clubs and festivals, he landed a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix residency in 2014. Among his achievements, in 2016 he was awarded the Sub Club Electronic Music Award at the Scottish Music Awards, and in 2017 he received the Tennents’ Golden Can Award for his contributions to Scottish culture.
Over the years his record label Numbers — which merged his early label Wireblock with Dress 2 Sweat and Stuff — has released dozens of records, with early work from Jessie Ware, Jamie xx and the late Sophie among the label’s discography.
Amid all his successes, in 2018 he was the subject of brief controversy after being accused of sexual harassment at that year’s Love Saves the Day Festival in Bristol, U.K., where he said he was on GHB. In 2019 he spoke with Vice of his experience with GHB and his ongoing remorse over the blackout incident — after which he’d personally met with those identifying as victims, publicly apologized, and taken “an extended period out” to address his substance abuse through therapy and AA. “There’s no handbook for this,” he said of the situation.
But those affected by his conduct at the festival issued a statement supporting his return to music, writing: “He’s taken time out to work on himself and undertaken to never repeat this behaviour towards anyone else in future. He has our staff and the festival’s support in working towards these aims and his own future happiness.”
Post-pandemic he was actively back to gig life and creating mixes, and in 2022 released his Vizor/Early Experiments digital and vinyl set, which was his first full EP.
In an interview with Electronic Groove in March 2024 surrounding his single “Nitro” featuring Kid Enigma, Revill said, “I am building a new studio as a priority, getting back into buying vinyl, and collecting Celtic memorabilia, all healthy addictions for me, except for my bank balance.”
“I’ve been touring worldwide for 15 years. I’m obsessed with DJing. Can’t stop, won’t stop,” Revill told EG when asked about future plans.
Revill’s time on the road in 2024 was often documented by the DJ on Instagram, with a trip to the U.S. being a recent highlight. “Big up everyone who turned up!” he wrote. “Every time I come over to see you guys it seems to get better.”
He last posted two weeks ago about his September gig at the club Hï Ibiza, where he said the “vibe was wicked.” Last month he also proudly shared one of his earliest tunes was being featured in an Apple ad.
“You can’t explain it. It’s a rush from the tip of your toes right up to your head, manifested in a great big grin on your face, for me anyway. I try to let it be known when I’m enjoying myself on the decks,” Revill told Billboard in 2018, speaking of what it’s like to feel the buzz from the crowd.
Cuban artist José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar, best known as El Taiger, has died. He was 37 years old. The urbano singer passed away on Thursday (Oct. 10) a week after being shot in the head, his family confirmed in an official statement posted on El Taiger’s Instagram Stories.
“On the morning of Friday, October 4, 2024, Jose Manuel Carvajal, known as ‘El Taiger,’ was the victim of a senseless violent crime. He was found near Jackson Memorial Hospital and immediately transported to the Emergency Intensive Care Unit,” the statement reads. “From the moment of his arrival, a team of physicians at Jackson Memorial worked tirelessly to provide him with the care he needed. We are extremely grateful. During this incredibly difficult time, family, friends and supporters joined together in prayer, hope and support, seeking a miracle. To all who offered their prayers, we thank you. Sadly, this afternoon, El Taiger was pronounced dead and is now reunited with his beloved mother in heaven.”
One of the most popular Cubaton artists (a genre that fuses reggaeton with traditional Cuban rhythms), El Taiger is known for his Cuban-rooted urban sound heard in songs such as “La Historia,” “El Papelito” and “Habla Matador.” His debut album, Taiger, was released in 2016 on Puerto Rican hip-hop artist Cosculluela’s label Rottboyz, and in 2017, he was featured on the Fate of the Furious movie soundtrack on producer Pinto “Wahin” and DJ Ricky Luna’s track “La Habana.” His most recent production, “Rulay,” in collaboration with Ecuadorian newcomer Niko G, came out this summer.
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According to a press conference offered by the chief of the Miami Police Department last week, officers responded to a call just after 7 a.m. on Oct. 3, where they found a man inside a black vehicle who had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. El Taiger was then transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he underwent surgery and remained in critical condition until his passing. Billboard reached out to the Miami PD to get an update on the investigation, but did not hear back at press time.
“While this news is both shocking and heartbreaking, we encourage fans of El Taiger to honor his memory by celebrating the joy he brought to so many,” the family’s statement continues. “Turn up your music, dance and celebrate his life. El Taiger was the sentiment of the people, and now we must keep that sentiment alive through his music and his legacy.”
Johnny Neel, songwriter and former member of the Allman Brothers Band and the Dickey Betts Band, has died. He was 70 years old. His former bandmate Warren Haynes confirmed the news of Neel’s death in a heartfelt social media post. No cause of death has been given. “Aside from being an amazing musician and singer, Johnny was one […]