John Cossette, who followed in father Pierre’s footsteps as the producer of the Grammy Awards telecast, died Tuesday (April 26) at the age of 54. The cause of death was not given.
Cossette has been involved with Grammys for nearly two decades, most recently as executive producer of the 53rd annual Grammy Awards in February. He also executive produced the Grammy nominations concert telecast and Latin Grammys telecasts.
Additionally, Cossette produced numerous awards shows for the cable network BET.
In 2009, he ventured into musical theater, producing “Million Dollar Quartet” in Chicago, London and on Broadway. The show, which centers on a 1956 meeting of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tenn., has been running for more than a year on Broadway.
“It was his warmth, easygoing nature, passion for music and the arts, and tireless dedication to the Grammy Awards and Latin Grammy Awards that was unmatched,” Recording Academy president/CEO Neil Portnow said in a statement. “We were incredibly lucky to have benefited from John’s creative guidance and leadership but more importantly, to have called him our friend.”
His live music productions included benefits for the NARAS Foundation and MusiCares, the Society of Singers and the Concern Foundation for Cancer Research in addition to concerts in New York’s Central Park and during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Details regarding funeral arrangements will be announced in the next few days.
Cossette is survived by his wife, Rita, and two daughters, Maria and Rose.