Jun Mhoon: touring drummer for The Bee Gees, The Chi-Lites and The Doors, dies at age 69

Jun Mhoon, a respected touring drummer who has worked with the likes of The Bee Gees and The Staple Singers, has died at the age of 69. Mhoon died on April 13 2024 from what is being reported as a cardiac arrest.

Mhoon started touring as a drummer with the Staple Singers at the age of 14, and over the following decade, he performed and toured with numerous artists such as Thad Jones, Jessy Dixon, the Bee Gees, the Doors, Paul Simon, and the Count Basie Orchestra. During the early 1970s, Mhoon worked as a staff drummer at Brunswick Records and Chess Records, contributing to tracks by The Chi-Lites, Gene Chandler, Jackie Wilson, Jackie Ross, and many others.

In the 1970s, Mhoon took on a warehouse clerk position at Warner Bros. Records and later advanced to director of Midwest Local Marketing. He joined RCA Records in 1978 as the Midwest regional director and held the position until 1986. During this time, he enrolled at Columbia College and founded AEMMP Records, a student-run record label. After completing his bachelor's degree, Mhoon became vice president of A&M Records in Los Angeles, California.

In 1987, Mhoon established I AM Records (later I AM Music and I AM Music Online), focusing on hip-hop, jazz, gospel, inspirational music, and spoken word albums. In 1999, he created I AM Digital Media, supplying digital content for platforms such as iTunes, Amazon.com, Spotify, Pandora, and Facebook. Mhoon also worked as Chief Digital Aggregator/Consultant for Johnson Publishing Company and JPC Digital, as well as vice president of TV production at Burrell Communications.

As a TV producer, Mhoon co-created The Stellar Awards with Milton Brunson and Don Jackson and co-produced “Steppin’ at Club 7” with Anna Morris, along with other TV shows. In 2014, he began presenting a weekly segment titled "Your Digital Media Evangelist" on WVON radio's The Urban Business Network. Mhoon has served as a resident lecturer at Chicago State University, Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, Tribeca Flashpoint Academy, North Park University, and the Chicago Urban League.