Jellybean Johnson, the drummer with Prince protégés The Time and a celebrated producer, has passed away at the age of 69.
In a statement to TMZ on Saturday, November 22, Johnson's family revealed that the legendary drummer took his last breath on Friday night. The cause of death has not been revealed.
The artist, whose real name was Garry George Johnson, was best known for being part of The Time, the funk rock group formed by Prince in 1981 as part of the music legend's contractual deal to cultivate and produce other artists from Minneapolis.
He was instrumental to the band's first three studio albums, The Time (1980), What Time Is It? (1982) and Ice Cream Castle (1984), before departing the band in 1985.
Besides his contribution to The Time, Johnson went on to have success as a producer, helming singles by the likes of Alexander O'Neal, New Edition and Cherrelle.
He also produced Janet Jackson's Black Cat, which was a number one single in 1990.
Johnson rejoined The Time for the Prince film Graffiti Bridge in the same year and played on the accompanying album Pandemonium, while in later life he notably performed alongside Rihanna at the Grammy Awards in 2008.
