Jellybean Johnson, the iconic drummer for The Time and producer for artists such as Janet Jackson, has passed away.

The musician, whose real name was Garry George Johnson, died suddenly on Friday night, his family told TMZ. The 69-year-old’s cause of death has not been disclosed.

Born on November 19, 1956, in Chicago, Johnson moved to Minneapolis as a child. He taught himself to play drums and guitar before joining The Time in 1981, a funk rock band formed by Prince as part of his deal with Warner Bros. Johnson also appeared with the group in Prince’s 1990 film Graffiti Bridge.

Prince protege Susannah Melvoin took to Instagram to mourn the passing of Johnson.

She described him as “the master of loving you like no brother could” and “a seasoned musical savant.” She reflected on their jo

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