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Who Is Busbee? The Music Producer and Friend to Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani Died of Brain Cancer
Gone too soon. Blake Shelton took to Twitter on Monday, September 30, to share the sad news that his and Gwen Stefani’s friend Michael James Ryan, known professionally as “Busbee,” had died at the age of 43. But who was Busbee, anyway? Here’s what we know about the couple’s late, dear companion.
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton attend ‘Bennett’s War’ film premiere.
How Did Blake and Gwen Know Busbee?
Busbee was a Grammy-nominated music producer and songwriter. He worked with artists including Keith Urban, Maren Morris, Shakira, Pink and, of course, Blake. Many of them reacted to his tragic death on social media.
Blake, 43, tweeted about the loss on Monday and wrote, “I absolutely can’t accept the loss of mine and Gwen’s friend Michael (Busbee). Too much to say for social media. Too much pain and unfairness period. I guess sometimes you gotta dig extra EXTRA deep for peace to continue to have faith. And I will because Michael ALWAYS had faith.”
Busbee arrives at the 59th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
How Did Busbee Die?
The producer was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, a kind of brain cancer, over the summer and was going through treatment, according to a friend who spoke with Variety.
Warner Records’ cochairman and CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck and cochairman and COO Tom Corson said in a statement shared on Facebook on September 29, “Today we lost Busbee, a dear friend, business partner with his company Altadena, and one of the best and brightest creative minds in music. Busbee’s kindness and legacy will never be forgotten and our hearts and prayers go out to his family at this very difficult time.”
Was Busbee Married?
Busbee was married to a woman named Jessie, Entertainment Weekly reported. He is survived by her and their three children, including a newborn baby girl.
What Songs Did Busbee Produce?
Busbee has credits on records like Maren’s “My Church,” Pink’s “Try” and Keith’s “Fighter,” featuring Carrie Underwood. He most recently produced 11 of the 15 tracks on Maren’s latest album, Girl. The singer shared a photo of the two of them on September 29 and wrote, “This just doesn’t seem fair. I will always love you and the songs and albums I was lucky to make with you, Busbee. Rest well, my sweet friend. 💔”
Gwen, 49, has not yet shared the sad news on her Twitter, but we’re sure she’s hurting, too. Our thoughts are with everyone who loved Busbee during this tough time.
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