George Butler

American record producer, label executive and A&R man. Born on 2 September 1931 in Charlotte, N.C., U.S. - Died on 9 April 2008 in Castro Valley, California, U.S.
He worked for a number of well-known jazz record labels from the 1960s to the 1990s including United Artists Records, United Artists Records Records (1972-1976, producer), and United Artists Records Records (A&R executive, after 1978). When Columbia became part of United Artists Records in the 1980s, Butler was promoted to senior vice president and executive producer (after 1988). He signed and launched the careers of a number of now famous artists including Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr. and Nnenna Freelon. His most notable achievement as a record-label executive, however, was urging jazz trumpeter Miles Davis to come out of retirement and record again.