White apparently suffered a heart attack after returning to the Billboard offices from lunch with a long-time friend. He was unable to be revived after being rushed to St. Vincent's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. White leaves behind his wife, Judy, and their 10-year-old twin sons, Christopher and Alexander.
White's sudden passing left the Billboard offices in a state of shock. His dynamic presence has been the dominant force in Billboard's newsroom since he joined the magazine in January 1991. Known for his probing essays on industry concerns, White tackled controversial issues with passionate resolve. His final column will appear in the July 6 issue of Billboard, available tomorrow.
White's journalism career included stints with the AP and Crawdaddy and a long association with Rolling Stone, where he established his reputation as a foremost celebrity interviewer. Along the way, he established lasting friendships with many of the music world's biggest stars. He was the author of numerous books, including “Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley"; “The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and The Southern California Experience"; “Rock Lives: Profiles & Interviews"; “Music To My Ears: The Billboard Essays--Portraits of Popular Music in the '90s"; and “Long Ago and Far Away: James Taylor, His Life and Music."
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