John McClain, Michael Jackson Estate Co-Executor, Dead at 71
TMZ • • entertainment
Key Points:
- John McClain, co-executor of Michael Jackson's estate and veteran music executive, died Tuesday in Malibu after battling illness for several years.
- McClain was instrumental in producing hits for Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre, and served as an A&R executive at A&M Records, overseeing Janet Jackson's breakthrough album "Control."
- Alongside John Branca, McClain was appointed co-executor of Michael Jackson's estate in 2009, successfully transforming it from heavy debt into a billion-dollar empire.
- The duo led major projects including the "Michael" biopic, a Broadway musical, Cirque du Soleil production, and the film "This Is It," while McClain personally contributed to posthumous Michael Jackson hits like "Love Never Felt So Good."
- McClain was 71 years old at the time of his passing.