The executive vice president of Capitol Music Group, 49 year-old Ronald “Ronnie” Johnson died after suffering a heart attack on Sunday (Dec. 30). Johnson, who has worked with Chingy, J. Holiday and Fat Joe, to name a few, will not be forgotten.

“He’s going to be missed,” Darrale Jones, vice president of A&R at Atlantic Records told the Journal News. “I’m still in shock.” Jones said he had known Johnson for about four years and described
him as an “incredible personality” who had worked with some of today’s
top-selling artists. “There are some executives who lack the people-person skills,”
Jones said. “It was just natural for him to deal with any personality.”

After working in the banking industry for a few years, Johnson
decided he wanted to get into the music business. He began in 1989 at
Reprise Records and worked his way up the industry ladder to Polygram
Label Group, Island Records, Mercury Records and Motown Records. He
went to Atlantic Records in 1999, before being picked up by Capitol in
February. Johnson’s wife, Jackie Pack-Johnson, said her husband was “always” sought out by other record labels as the end of his contracts neared.

He had a suffered a heart attack less than two years ago, but
succumbed to a second one this past weekend at his Upper Nyack home.
Pack-Johnson confirmed that his doctors said his death was related to
an artery condition caused by a childhood illness.

The heart attack came on right after the couple’s 16-year
anniversary. They’d returned from a vacation in Barcelona, Spain, to
spend Christmas with their adult son, Matthew Pack. “He’s the nicest guy you’d ever want to meet,” Pack-Johnson said of her husband. Johnson was looking forward to running in the ING Atlanta Marathon. It would have been his first.

Along with his wife, Johnson is survived by his mother, Irene Ware of Mobile; his brother Darryl Johnson, also of Mobile; and his nieces and nephews.

Hannemann Funeral Home in Nyack is handling the arrangements. Visiting hours are from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday (Jan. 4) at St. Ann’s
Church in Nyack. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m.
Saturday (Jan. 5) also at St. Ann’s.