Jheryl Busby
Encyclopedia
Jheryl Busby was a recording company executive who was the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Motown Records
.
Busby grew up in South Central Los Angeles and attended John C. Fremont High School
there. He attended Long Beach State College, dropping out after two years.
Busby started his business career at Mattel Toys, starting as an inventory clerk and ultimately promoted to new-toy coordinator.
His first exposure to the recording industry was at Stax Records
, where he was named head of West Coast promotion and marketing, After leaving Stax, he did promotional work for A&M Records
and Casablanca Records
.
At MCA Records
, where he was hired in 1984, Busby was vice-president of the black music division building the unit largely from scratch, promoting established acts like Patti LaBelle
and helping to discover and market acts like family band The Jets, Jody Watley
, Bobby Brown
and New Edition
. By the mid-80s, the division's sales reached $50 million and was top-ranked for years in black album sales. By 1988, Busby was president of the black music division at MCA, and his business unit led the industry in black album sales.
When Boston Ventures and Music Corporation of America
bought Motown Records
from Berry Gordy
in June 1988 for $61 million, Gordy stipulated that 20% of the firm be retained by African-American investors; Busby purchased an unspecified stake in the firm. Busby moved to Motown Records in 1988 as the company's President & CEO in 1988. Annual sales for Motown had dropped to $20 million (from a peak of $100 million, at Motown's height), with 60–70% of sales coming from sales of its old hits. Busby fostered the growth of younger talent, including Another Bad Creation
, Boyz II Men
, Johnny Gill
and Queen Latifah
. In early 1989, he was able to sign Diana Ross
back to Motown after she left for RCA Records
in 1981. Busby retained artists such as Lionel Richie
, Smokey Robinson
and Stevie Wonder
, and helped create hits from them and for Ross. When Polygram Records bought Motown for $301 million in 1993, Busby was retained as president. By 1990, the label had five songs reach number one on the R&B charts.
Busby was appointed head of the black music division at DreamWorks Records
in 1998. He left DreamWorks in 2001. He was named president of Def Soul Classics in 2004. Umbrella Recordings, which he created with producer Mike City
, released the Carl Thomas album "So Much Better" in 2007 and Patti LaBelle
's The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle
, her first gospel album.
Busby was a major shareholder along with Janet Jackson
and Magic Johnson
in the nation's first African-American-owned national bank, Founders National Bank, and served on the bank's board of directors.
Busby died at age 59 on November 4, 2008. He was found dead in the hot tub of his home in Malibu, the cause was later confirmed to be accidental drowning, it is believed preexisting medical conditions including "atheroscelerotic cardiovascular disease" and "diabetes mellitus may have contributed to the drowning.
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
.
Busby grew up in South Central Los Angeles and attended John C. Fremont High School
John C. Fremont High School
John C. Fremont Senior High School is a Title 1 co-educational public high school located in Los Angeles, California, United States.Fremont is in a region known as South Los Angeles...
there. He attended Long Beach State College, dropping out after two years.
Busby started his business career at Mattel Toys, starting as an inventory clerk and ultimately promoted to new-toy coordinator.
His first exposure to the recording industry was at Stax Records
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
, where he was named head of West Coast promotion and marketing, After leaving Stax, he did promotional work for A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
and Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture...
.
At MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, where he was hired in 1984, Busby was vice-president of the black music division building the unit largely from scratch, promoting established acts like Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
and helping to discover and market acts like family band The Jets, Jody Watley
Jody Watley
Jody Vanessa Watley is an American, singer, songwriter, record producer, and founder of Avitone Records whose music crosses genres from Pop, R&B, Jazz, Dance and Electronic Soul....
, Bobby Brown
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
and New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
. By the mid-80s, the division's sales reached $50 million and was top-ranked for years in black album sales. By 1988, Busby was president of the black music division at MCA, and his business unit led the industry in black album sales.
When Boston Ventures and Music Corporation of America
Music Corporation of America
MCA, Inc. was an American talent agency. Initially starting in the music business, they would next become a dominant force in the film business, and later expanded into the television business...
bought Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
from Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
in June 1988 for $61 million, Gordy stipulated that 20% of the firm be retained by African-American investors; Busby purchased an unspecified stake in the firm. Busby moved to Motown Records in 1988 as the company's President & CEO in 1988. Annual sales for Motown had dropped to $20 million (from a peak of $100 million, at Motown's height), with 60–70% of sales coming from sales of its old hits. Busby fostered the growth of younger talent, including Another Bad Creation
Another Bad Creation
Another Bad Creation were an American R&B and rap musical group from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:ABC consists of Romell “RoRo” Chapman, Chris Sellers, David Shelton and brothers Demetrius and Marliss Pugh, as well as “unofficial” member Adrian “G.A.” Witcher...
, Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
, Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B supergroup New Edition, and was also a member of another supergroup called LSG; with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. His signature song "My, My, My" has been included on numerous romantic...
and Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
. In early 1989, he was able to sign Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
back to Motown after she left for RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in 1981. Busby retained artists such as Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
and Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, and helped create hits from them and for Ross. When Polygram Records bought Motown for $301 million in 1993, Busby was retained as president. By 1990, the label had five songs reach number one on the R&B charts.
Busby was appointed head of the black music division at DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
in 1998. He left DreamWorks in 2001. He was named president of Def Soul Classics in 2004. Umbrella Recordings, which he created with producer Mike City
Mike City
Mike City is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Flowers is also the founder and CEO of Unsung Entertainment, Inc. He's currently working on his personal album titledMike City a.k.a...
, released the Carl Thomas album "So Much Better" in 2007 and Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
's The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle
The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle
The Gospel According To Patti LaBelle is the first gospel album released by singer Patti LaBelle, released in November 2006.This project began three years ago when Patti's late musical director and close friend Budd Ellison told a skeptical LaBelle that "it's now or never, Patti." The album is...
, her first gospel album.
Busby was a major shareholder along with Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
and Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
in the nation's first African-American-owned national bank, Founders National Bank, and served on the bank's board of directors.
Busby died at age 59 on November 4, 2008. He was found dead in the hot tub of his home in Malibu, the cause was later confirmed to be accidental drowning, it is believed preexisting medical conditions including "atheroscelerotic cardiovascular disease" and "diabetes mellitus may have contributed to the drowning.