Beloved SiriusXM Host's Sudden Death Leaves Music World in Shock

The sudden death of beloved SiriusXM programming director and host Jeremy Tepper leaves the music world in shock and mourning the loss of an icon who worked closely with country greats like Willie Nelson.

Tepper's wife, Laura Cantrell, announced on Facebook that her 60-year-old husband died suddenly of a heart attack on Friday in New York.

"I am heartbroken to share the news of the passing of my husband, Jeremy Tepper, who died suddenly today of a heart attack here in Jackson Heights. Jeremy was an amazing, unique person, a loving father, son, brother, and friend who was close with so many of you, especially his many friends in the music world," Cantrell said. "We will share more soon about plans to celebrate his life, but we are devastated by this unimaginable loss and ask for privacy and time to grieve."

Tepper, who was a longtime musician and journalist, worked at SiriusXM for more than two decades as a music programing director and was the driving force behind country channels such as Willie's Roadhouse and Outlaw Country.

"Jeremy Tepper, a beloved member of SiriusXM, profoundly influenced us with his unwavering dedication to music and innovative spirit," SiriusXM posted on social media. "His contributions, in shaping Outlaw Country and Willie's Roadhouse, are beyond measure. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this time."

Usually wearing an Outlaw Country trucker hat with his curly hair pulled back in a ponytail, his down-to-earth personality and his genuine love of people made him beloved by everyone.

Tepper's voice and laugh bellowed through the halls of SiriusXM as he would stop and chat with everyone in between studio recordings. He was a colleague who got to know and love his co-workers and would often go on adventures outside of the office with them.

"Jeremy was the friend everyone hopes to find. He loved his family, his friends, and outlaw country music. If Jeremy Tepper considered you a friend, you knew it," his former SiriusXM colleague J.R. Schumman told Newsweek. "This one stings. A lot. It's just not fair. I loved him and will miss him immensely."

Schumann and Tepper worked together for more than six years and spent a lot of time together both in and out of the office.

"We randomly ran into Bill Murray about four different times. The last being at a Mets game where he was sitting on the opposite end of our row. It quickly became a running joke with us every time we'd go out - I wonder if Bill is gonna join us tonight?"

SiriusXM Music Programming Director Chris Kennedy told Newsweek about the legacy Tepper leaves behind.

"He had such an important impact for outlaw, trucker and Americana music and radio," Kennedy told Newsweek. "He was such a connector and uber fan of people in his life. He was an emotional guy in the best way — empathetic, kind, caring, a fabulous listener and sharer. He supported so many up and coming musicians/bands...and also developed them into stars including on his channels. He was incredibly special — certainly for me but also for many thousands of people. I am deeply missing him already."

Longtime friend John Rosenfelder told Newsweek about how the two met.

"I met Jeremy when I was promoting Shelby Lynne to Laura for WFMU spins, but Jeremy quickly jumped the connection when he attended the release party at Sammy's steakhouse where we hung with Shelvis and Jay-Z," Rosenfelder told Newsweek. "There are few people I've known who were so laid back but also so on top of everything going on too. We were like an agile double play combo the way we could sneak into stuff together with just a nod or quick sidestep. He had a lot of tricks up his sleeve, but the main one was just being nice and a cool guy to everyone who he ever met."

Rosenfelder described his dear friend's lunch club that brought together an "ill salon of characters."

"There were unemployed networkers (like myself), braggarts, journalists, musicians, friends from high school - anyone around. He probably had too many lunch invitations and consolidated them into a monthly party to keep it manageable," Rosenfelder said to Newsweek. "But there was invariably some cool quasi-celebrity doing the hang wither Jeremy and his crew (Dale Watson, Larry Ratso Sloman and Clinton Heylin to name a few)."

"He was an irresistible force of nature and I'm really thankful for one of the best friends anyone could have."

Before Tepper would become an institution at SiriusXM, he graduated from New York University in 1986 majoring in journalism. He would then go on to become the lead singer of the World Famous Blue Jays and the co-founder of Diesel Only Records, a country music label.

Artists who released albums on Diesel Only include: his band the Blue Jays, Dale Watson, Amy Allison, Will Rigby, Ween and Tepper's wife, Laura Cantrell.

Earlier this week Tepper attended the unveiling of an exhibit honoring late SiriusXM country music host Mojo Nixon who died earlier this year. The two country music icons were great friends and worked together for years.

Tepper posted a photo of the two on the Outlaw Country Cruise 2024 with a heartfelt message when his dear friend died.

While attending the event at the Rock&Roll Hall of Fame in Ohio honoring Nixon earlier this week, Tepper ran into Terese White who hadn't seen him in years but was spotted by him immediately.

"I saw Jeremy Tepper on Wednesday at the Rock Hall for the Mojo Nixon tribute and exhibit. I wore my Diesel Only shirt to represent. I hadn't seen Jeremy in many years but he spotted me and my shirt and gave me a big smile. Put his hand on his heart in appreciation," White wrote on Facebook.

"It made me happy. He remembered my dad and coming to Youngstown in the early days with the Blue Jays. He was still sad about his friend Mojo. He told me about his daughter Bella, as a proud dad. He gave me a hug. All wonderfully ordinary. And now these moments seem anything but. They are all we have. Jeremy was larger than life. Always kind and generous to me. My heart breaks for beautiful Laura Cantrell, his daughter and all who loved him."

Other rockers like Stevie Van Zandt remembered Tepper on social media.

"Lost my good friend Jeremy Tepper last night. An incredibly tragic loss so young. He ran my Outlaw Country station on SiriusXM brilliantly. It is actually quite a complicated format and he made it look easy. Our deepest love and condolences to Laura and his family and friends."