Andy Kotowicz, a former Ann Arborite who developed a love of music into a position as a vice president at Sub Pop Records, died over the weekend after an automobile accident in Seattle, according to the Sub Pop website. He was 37.

In a 2007 item on the Sub Pop site, Kotowicz was interviewed and shared a lot about his background, including his years growing up in Ann Arbor. (Note: the post contains profanity and adult content.)

In the interview, he speaks of developing his love for music, and he also recalls his first steps into the record business: "Downtown Ann Arbor was pretty safe, so my folks never really had a problem allowing me to go hang out at record stores. Schoolkids' Records eventually asked if I wanted to check bags during Christmas and I also worked there a bit during the summer. Then I got an after school job at Play It Again Records who had an Ann Arbor store for about two years. Both stores are unfortunately gone now."

Kotowicz graduated from Huron High School in 1991. Jen Jones — a friend since high school who also worked with him at Schoolkids' — recalled his love of music and engaging personality: "Andy heard music like few others did. It got into his bones so quickly. He could hear what made it special while us lay-people were just getting our heads around it. And his enthusiasm for the music was simply infectious. There isn't a person who called Andy friend that isn't indebted to him for introducing them to music that changed their lives."

Added Jessica Webster, another Schoolkids' colleague: "Andy was the kind of guy you were always happy to see — maybe because he always acted happy to see everyone. He loved music, he loved his family, and he was just generally a really great guy."

After graduating from Kenyon College in 1995, Kotowicz worked at a few small record labels in Tennessee and New York before landing at Sub Pop, a highly respected and influential independent record company based in Seattle. Kotowicz served as vice president of sales and director of marketing for the company.

"He was smart and funny and enthused; passionate in his love of music and his family; a patient and steadfast friend. He worked here at Sub Pop for the past ten and a half years and his contributions here, to the bands and artists we work with, and to us are innumerable," the Sub Pop tribute reads in part.

Tributes to him are also showing up today on music blogs such as No Depression and Nashville Scene.

Kotowicz is survived by his wife and daughter.