Wade Jessen, Billboard’s senior chart manager, Nashville, died shortly after midnight March 5 at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tenn., following a heart attack.
The 53-year-old media veteran and country music champion had just observed his 20th anniversary as the head of Billboard’s country, bluegrass, Christian and gospel charts in December. During his tenure, he was a fixture in the Nashville music business, overseeing the charts with unflagging integrity and a dedication to detail.
