Tributes Paid to Chiswick Resident Jo McCormack

Popular music industry figure was mentor to top stars

Tributes have been paid to popular Chiswick resident Jo Mc Cormack who passed away on Easter Sunday in hospital following an illness.

Jo,(50) who was well known in the music industry, was married to Mike McCormack of Universal Music Publishing and the couple lived in Chiswick with their two children. She had been suffering from cancer.

Jo, who was born in 1962 in Harrogate, Yorkshire had a long and illustrious A&R career in the UK music business and spent many years at Virgin Records where she was credited with introducing, among others, The Spice Girls to the label.

She departed Virgin in the late 1990's to work for Simon Fuller and his company 19, where as part of the creative team she oversaw a number of the huge successes that came out of the then fledgling Pop Idol/American Idol format.

She was particularly involved in the career of Will Young who became a good friend and paid her this tribute;“Jo turned from a talented A&R lady into my good friend. Super good at her job yet always modest about her ability. She made me laugh, was always bringing a sublime sense of fun and most importantly was a source of inspiration and unfaltering support and love. Her variety of dances for any new demo that came in became legendary! Jo will live on for me in my memories and my heart for the rest of my life. May you rest in peace Jo.”

Chiswick resident and former BBC Executive and Discovery Communications senior executive Jana Bennett also paid tribute to her " brilliant wit and self-deprecating humour".

"She valued hard work and making your own luck and she had a rare ability to empathise with young people as they made their way into adulthood.," she commented.

Television presenter Tim Lovejoy, who lives in Chiswick, said: "Even through Jo's worst suffering she always managed to find the time to ask how I was, which is testament to what a wonderfully caring person she was. From the moment Mike introduced me to Jo she could not have been friendlier. She made me feel welcome in her home and part of the family. Jo was a great friend to so many and will be greatly missed."

April 12, 2013