Ronald “Ronnie” Johnson, who fostered a career working with urban
artists Fat Joe and J. Holiday as Capitol Music Group’s executive vice
president, died Sunday of a heart attack.
"He made people's lives better, knowing them," his wife, Jackie
Pack-Johnson, said yesterday.
Johnson was raised on music. Born in Mobile, Alabama, his mother worked
as a gospel radio personality, and his stepfather worked as a record
promoter. While growing up, Johnson did a stint as a banker, only to
decide his true calling was the music industry. In 1989 he got work at
Reprise Records, and eventually landed positions at Polygram Label
Group, Island Records, Mercury Records, Motown Records and Atlantic. In
February 1999, he moved to Capitol.
Johnson, who was 49 when he passed at his Upper Nyack home, fell to
cardiac arrest while training for the ING Atlanta Marathon. He had
suffered a heart attack two years prior. Johnson will be laid to rest on
Saturday at St. Ann’s Church in Nyack.
Article tags: Ronald “Ronnie” Johnson, Fat Joe, J. Holiday
Page printed from:
http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2008/01/ronniejohnson_obit/
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