Michael James Ryan Busbee (June 18, 1976 – September 29, 2019), known professionally asBusbee, was an American songwriter, record producer, publisher, record executive, and multi-instrumentalist.^[1] He was known for his work in bothpop music andcountry music, having written for acts including5 Seconds of Summer,Keith Urban,Maren Morris,Trisha Yearwood,Daughtry, andthe Fray.

Busbee was born inWalnut Creek, California, and grew up in theSan Francisco Bay Area.^[5] He began playing piano when he was seven years old and started playing jazztrombone in high school.^[6][7] Busbee marched with the World Class Drum Corps, Blue Devils.^{[citation needed]}

Busbee studied jazz atWilliam Paterson University inWayne, New Jersey, after receiving a scholarship to the school in 1995, but returned to the San Francisco Bay Area before graduating.^[7][2]

He moved toLos Angeles in 2000 and started working at a music studio, assisting rock producerEric Valentine, and he began learning to play more instruments, including guitar, bass, and drums.^[5][7][2] After working and assisting others in music studios for a while, he began working on his own as a songwriter, producer, mixer, writer, and engineer.^[7][2] He started working on many pop songs, with many artists who had been on reality singing competitions likeAmerican Idol andThe X Factor.^[5][7]

After five years of working in Los Angeles, he starting working inNashville, Tennessee, as well, at the recommendation of another writer. Musician and record producerDann Huff then signed him to a publishing deal.^[6][2] Since then, Busbee wrote for and co-wrote with a broad range of artists includingGwen Stefani,P!nk,Shakira,Maren Morris,Timbaland featuringKaty Perry,Keith Urban,Jon Bellion,Kelly Clarkson,Florida Georgia Line, andLady Antebellum.^[2][3][5] Busbee was nominated for aGrammy Award forBest Country Song in 2017 for his work on Maren Morris' debut single, "My Church".^[8]

In December 2018, Busbee started his own music label, Altadena, in Los Angeles in partnership withWarner Bros. Records,Warner Chappell Music, and Red Light Management.^[6][7][9]

Busbee was diagnosed withglioblastoma, a form ofbrain cancer, during 2019 and died later that year on September 29, in Los Angeles.^[3] He had a wife and three children.^[10]

• Cris Cab – "The Truth", "The Sun Is Gonna Rise Again"
• Eliza Doolittle – "I'm in Love With You”
• Mickey Guyton – "Safe"
• Girls' Generation – "Chain Reaction"
• Danny Gokey – "I Still Believe"
• Jetta - "More (Demo)"
• Francesca Michielin – "Il più bell'abbraccio"
• Ryan Star – "Stay Awhile"Single'
• Westlife – "Get Away”
• Elliott Yamin -"In Love With You Forever", "The Bridge Is Burning"
• Dima Bilan &Anastacia - "Safety"
• Cale Dodds - "I Like Where This Is Going"
• P!nk - "More"

• The official website of Busbee^[usurped]
• Interview, HitQuarters 4 Apr 2011
• Busbee discography atDiscogs as Mike Busbee
• Busbee discography atDiscogs as Michael James Ryan

• 1976 births
• 2019 deaths
• 21st-century American musicians
• American country record producers
• Musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area
• People from Walnut Creek, California
• Record producers from California
• Songwriters from California
• Deaths from brain cancer in California
• Deaths from glioblastoma

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from September 2014
• Articles with hCards
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from October 2019