Jerry Blair Tragic Cause of Death Revealed; Columbia Records Exec Dead At 60

By Alexandria Reeves

Jerry Blair, former head of promotion at Columbia Records, has died at the age of 60.

Billboard confirmed that Blair - who helped several A-listers in their careers - has died on Wednesday after his tough battle against COVID-19 complications.

The news outlet did not disclose the exact final diagnosis of the music executive. However, it added a statement from Ricky Martin, who previously worked with him.

The 49-year-old singer told the website that he was affected by Blair's passing. Per Martin, he had not seen him for a long time. Still, Blair reportedly remained as one of the most likable people in his life.

"His energy was so strong and powerful, He was always present someway, somehow. Sending all my love and support to his family," he said.

Years before his death, he helped several singers and personalities to be where they are right now, including Mariah Carey, Fugees, Wyclef Jean, and Will Smith.

With the news of his death bombarded the music industry, his fans and other singers who saw his extraordinary talent left heartfelt messages to him.

RIP Jerry Blair. He was one of the most charismatic executives I worked with at Columbia Records. https://t.co/boiZUA6onS
— James Andrews (@keyinfluencer) September 8, 2021

Diane Warren said, "RIP music promo Legend Jerry Blair. Thank U for fighting so hard for so many songs including mine."

"The production team is saddened by the loss of music legend and colleague Jerry Blair. We thank Jerry for his commitment and enthusiasm, his endless drive and determination. You will be missed. RIP," the official Twitter account of "Paradise Garage" penned.

Remembering Jerry Blair

Before he scored the position at Columbia Records, he initially began his career as a college representative for CBS Records. In the 1980s, he joined Chrysalis Records as the director of West Coast operations.

From there, he began working in promotions at Columbia and served as the senior vice president from 1988 to 1997. He continued his stint in the company as executive vice president until 2000.

Throughout his career, he worked with superstars and gave birth to the "Latin explosion" that led Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, and Elvis Crespo to the spotlight.

Although he left Columbia Records, Blair shared his talent with Arista, where he worked as the executive vice president. He eventually founded Fuerte Group with Rich Isaacson, where they managed and promoted skills from 2003 to 2009.

Years after that, he dedicated his life to promoting Latin music.