Music Producer Dies in Crash

Brazilian music producer Tom Capone, nominated this year for five Latin Grammys, died in a motorcycle crash just hours after being shut out at the Latin Recording Academy awards show, officials said Friday.

Capone, 38, was pronounced dead at 3:25 a.m. Thursday after his rented motorcycle and a small sedan collided at Tyrone Avenue and Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, police said. Capone was thrown from the motorcycle. The 23-year-old woman driving the car was unhurt.

The cause of the accident was under investigation, but investigators said one of the vehicles apparently ran a red light.

Capone, a resident of Rio de Janeiro whose real name was Luis Antonio Ferreira Goncalves, died of multiple traumatic injuries, said David Campbell, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. Campbell said a coroner’s investigator noted the odor of alcohol, and a toxicological examination was underway to determine if Capone had been drinking.

Capone was the most-nominated person for this year’s Latin Grammys, music industry officials said. He received nominations for producer of the year, album of the year (“Maria Rita”), best-engineered album (“Maria Rita”), and two nominations for record of the year (Rita’s “A Fiesta” and Skank’s “Dois Rios”).

Billboard magazine said he also worked on several other acclaimed projects, including Frejat’s “Sobre Nos 2 e o Resto do Mundo,” nominated for best rock album in Portuguese, and O Rappa’s “O Silencio Q Precede o Esporro,” nominated for best Brazilian contemporary pop album.

Artists he worked with included Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento, Raimundos, Barao Vermelho, Nando Reis, Marisa Monte and Carlinhos Brown, the magazine said.

“The Latin Recording Academy, Brazilian music and the world have lost a great music maker,” Gabriel Abaroa, president of the academy, said Friday. “Our thoughts go out to his family at this very sad time.”

Capone leaves his wife, Constanca Scofield, their month-old son, Bento, and two children from a previous marriage.

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Associated Press contributed to this report.