Former President of the Copyright Association of Trinidad and Tobago John Ryan Romany has died.
Romany died at early on Tuesday due to complications of diabetes. He was 69.
He founded the publishing company Worldbeat Studios in Tunapuna.
As a guitarist, he worked alongside artistes and played for several bands such as Shandileer, Sound Revolution, Taxi, 3 Veni and Melobugs.
He also toured with international acts Percy Sledge, Luther Vandross and Roberta Flack.
He served as President of COTT from 2011 to 2016.
Romany was also vice principal at the San Juan South Secondary, where he had been a teacher for two decades.
COTT issued a release on his passing stating, "The board, management and staff of the Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT) are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Mr John Ryan Romany on Tuesday 12th March, 2019. Mr Romany made a significant contribution to COTT after joining as a Publisher Member in 2005 with his company House of Rapsoul Limited. "
The release added, "Mr Romany also made his mark on the regional copyright landscape as a former president and vice president of the Association of Caribbean Copyright Societies (ACCS). We wish his friends our sincerest condolences to his relatives and musical family. May his memory continue to inspire us all as we continue to making music matter."