IN MEMORIAM:
John McClain Dies: Michael Jackson Estate Co-Executor & Veteran Music Exec Was 71
Michael Jackson Fb page: Michael Jackson’s relationship with John McClain started in their teens and continued throughout Michael’s life. When Michael passed away John McClain, along with John Branca, became the co-executors of Michael’s estate. It is now with profound sadness that the Estate team shares the news of John McClain’s passing. In addition to his role as the co-executor, John was many things throughout his life – a musician, a songwriter, a music industry executive but first and foremost, he was an amazing human being and a great friend to all who were lucky enough to have him in their lives. His legacy will live on through the many people he touched and the music he helped bring to the world. He will be missed here on earth but we hope he has been reunited with Michael and they are making music together again.
John McClain Dies: Michael Jackson Estate Co-Executor & Veteran Music Exec Was 71
By Glenn Garner, Deadline
John McClain, the veteran music executive who served as a co-executor for the Michael Jackson estate, has died. He was 71.
The former A&M and Interscope Records exec reportedly died of complications from a fall on Tuesday in Los Angeles, according to People, as his co-executor John Branca paid tribute.
“I am profoundly grieved at the loss of my partner and ‘brother’ John McClain,” he said in a statement. “One of the great innovators in the world of music and music marketing, John was a visionary, seeing past the mundane and into the future.”
Branca added, “When we were named in Michael’s will, I knew that he would bring great insight into Michael’s music and that his friendship and dedication to Michael would underscore all the great projects that we could bring to the world. . . .
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In recent months, McClain and Branca have gone to court with Michael’s daughter Paris Jackson over unapproved bonus payments, which were ordered to be returned to the estate.
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Read the full article here:
https://deadline.com/2026/05/john-mcclain-dies-michael-jackson-estate-co-executor-1236928596/
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OTHER NOTABLE MUSICIANS’ DEATHS
Jerrelyn Corragio on Fb, 5/19/26: Rest easy, Don Rice…. Friends since 1967. A man who could sit down at a piano and play any song I could think of by ear. Incredibly intelligent, interested in many ideologies and always looking at the bright side. I will always remember the good times. Blessings to his sister Gayle Johnson.
Don Rice: https://www.facebook.com/don.rice.7370
Photo: Don Rice
Posting for my Veteran/singer/songwriter/musician friend Troy Hoss: Heavy on my heart so here goes: This is a very real problem … 22 Veterans a day surrender to their demons. #SuicideAwareness | Call Veteran’s Hotline: 988 #1 or 844-647-1354
Warning Signs of Suicide – National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or if you want to discuss, call the old numbers at 800-273-TALK or 800-273-8255 for English and 888-628-9454 for Spanish. Learn the signs of someone who may be contemplating suicide.
From Care2 via Jock Bartley on Facebook: Trump shut down our LGBTQ+ suicide and mental health hotline, but CANADA opened a US toll-free number to theirs… so our citizens can get help anytime, at no cost: 1-877-330-6366
Kindness & empathy have no borders.
If you want to know more about any of the musicians we lost, please check them out at http://www.wikipedia.com
May 2026
26: Bjørn Tidmand, 86, Danish singer.
25: Sonny Rollins, 95, American jazz saxophonist (“Airegin”, “Doxy”, “St. Thomas”).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Rollins
24: John Eaton, 91, American jazz pianist; Betty Roe, 95, English composer, singer and vocal coach.
23: Philip Aaberg, 77, American pianist, pneumonia; Brian Large, 87, English opera director.
22: Rob Base, 59, American rapper (Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock) and songwriter (“It Takes Two”, “Joy and Pain”), cancer; Dick Parry, 83, English saxophonist (Pink Floyd).
21: DJ Congélateur, 33, Ivorian singer and artist.
20: Ron Escheté, 77, American jazz guitarist; Jimmy Hughes, 88, American rhythm and blues singer (“Steal Away”); Denyse LePage, 75, Canadian musician (Lime), stroke.
19: Jacqui Chan, 91, Trinidadian actress (The World of Suzie Wong, Cleopatra, Krakatoa, East of Java), dancer and singer; Gunter Hampel, 88, German jazz multi-instrumentalist and composer; Al Hurricane Jr., 66, American singer-songwriter; Hieromonk Roman, 71, Russian hieromonk, poet and singer.
