The LIVING LEGENDS FOUNDATION (LLF) mourns the loss of VARNELL JOHNSON. The music industry veteran Exec./LLF Pres. was 76 years old and passed away on WED (6/21) due to congestive heart failure. He’s survived by his wife DARLENE, son VARNELL, (nicknamed “JUNE”), and daughter TRACEY. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

The PHILADELPHIA native and Vietnam War ARMY Combat Medic’s music career included A&L DISTRIBUTORS, PHILLY GROOVE RECORDS/Head of Promotion, GRC East Coast Dir./Marketing/Promotions, EMI/UNITED ARTISTS GM/Urban Music, EMI CAPITOL LABEL GROUPS VP/ A&R /Promotion & Marketing, MANHATTAN/BLUE NOTES VP/Promotion & Marketing, JIVE RECORDS-ZOMBA VP/Promotion & Marketing (established the VERITY RECORDS Division now RCA INSPIRATION), ELEKTRA EVP, ISLAND RECORDS SVP/GM, and consulted artists and label execs with his company JUNES ENTERTAINMENT. In 2017 he was presented the LLF’s Chairman’s Award.

LLF Chairman DAVID C. LINTON said, “He was a close friend, and this is a major loss. At the time he broke into the industry, he was able to work in every aspect of the business. VARNELL was one of the first Black executives to have total autonomy within the label system.