John McClain, a veteran music producer who went on to be a co-executor of Michael Jackson’s estate, has died.
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According to TMZ, the 71-year-old passed away on May 26 in Los Angeles from complications after a fall.
His co-executor, John Branca, paid tribute to the former A&M and Interscope Records executive in a statement to TMZ.
“I am profoundly grieved at the loss of my partner and ‘brother’ John McClain. 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 told the outlet.
In his statement, Branca also shed light on how he and McClain felt when they learned Jackson named them as executors of his estate in his will.
“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,” he continued. “He brought a passion and sense of conviction to all that he did and was the most generous of friends.”
“It is difficult to imagine a world without him,” Branca concluded.
TMZ also reported that McClain had been unwell for some time. However, it remains unknown if his illness was a factor in his death.
John McClain Produced Hits for Michael and Janet Jackson
Along with his role as co-executor of Jackson’s estate with Branca, McClain produced hits for Michael and Janet Jackson, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre. He was also the A&R executive at A&M Records who oversaw Janet’s breakthrough album, Control.
Following Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, McClain and Branca were named co-executors of his estate. Together, they turned the estate from being deep in debt into a billion-dollar enterprise. They were behind several successful projects, including the This Is It documentary, a Broadway musical, a Cirque du Soleil show, and the new biopic, Michael.