Frank Dileo passed away at age 63

Longtime music industry veteran Frank Dileo, who managed Michael Jackson through the ’80s and in occasion of the This Is It Tour, died at his home in eastern Ohio at age 63, after a long illness.

Earlier this year DiLeo underwent heart sugery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles. The cause of his death was complications from heart surgery in March, said his wife, Linda.

DiLeo began his career in the music industry in the late 1960s. In 1979, CBS Records hired DiLeo to work for Epic Records in New York, where he first met Michael Jackson. In 1984, after the record-setting success of his Thriller album, Michael Jackson asked DiLeo to take over as his manager.

DiLeo was the executive producer for the full-length movie Moonwalker, wrote and executive produced three Pepsi-Cola commercials (including negotiating a landmark endorsement deal), and eight music videos including the Grammy winning video “Leave Me Alone”.

DiLeo managed Michael’s Bad World Tour, and the Jackson family’s Victory Tour.