George T. Butler Tribute

George T. Butler Jr., an influential figure in the business of jazz as an A&R man and record company executive, died April 9 at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, Calif. He was 76.

As an A&R man for Columbia, Butler was credited with signing Wynton and Branford Marsalis and singer Harry Connick Jr. In the years he worked for Blue Note Records before moving to Columbia, he oversaw scores of albums by jazz legends including Horace Silver, Donald Byrd, Elvin Jones and Bobby Hutcherson. He also led Blue Note in a more commercial direction with fusion artists including Earl Klugh, Ronnie Laws and Bobbi Humphrey.

He started in the music business at United Artists Records before moving on to Blue Note in 1972. After moving to Columbia, he was influential in coaxing Miles Davis out of retirement and back into the studio in 1980. He also worked with Bob James, Billy Cobham, Grover Washington Jr. and other popular artists.

Butler is survived by his sister and daughter, Bethany Butler.