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Maren Morris, Lady Antebellum Producer ‘Busbee’ Dies

Michael Busbee, the producer and songwriter who molded Maren Morris’ country-music career with her debut album, Hero, and co-wrote hits for P!nk, Florida Georgia Line, and Lady Antebellum, has died….

Maren Morris, Lady Antebellum Producer 'Busbee' Passes
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Michael Busbee, the producer and songwriter who molded Maren Morris’ country-music career with her debut album, Hero, and co-wrote hits for P!nk, Florida Georgia Line, and Lady Antebellum, has died.

Known professionally as “busbee,” the California native was 43. He passed away from brain cancer.

Morris posted to Instagram, "This just doesn’t seem fair. I will always love you and the songs and albums I was lucky to make with you, Busbee. Rest well, my sweet friend."

Carly Pearce posted, "Yesterday morning, my mom called me to tell me of the dream she had Saturday night. She said 'Carly, I had a dream busbee and I were in a room & he was playing piano for me- I told him it was beautiful.' I learned hours later of his passing. This video is from last nights show. I like to think he was playing along from that same piano. We love you, Buz."

Busbee collaborated extensively with Lady Antebellum, producing their 747 album and the entirety of their last album, 2017’s Heart Break.

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.