GERALD BUSBY
Paramount among the long-time residents in the Chelsea Hotel, Busby was defined by The New Yorker magazine as "the last living bohemian in Chelsea". Gerald Busby, born in Texas on December 16, 1935, is an American composer. In 1977, with the assistance of Virgil Thomson, he moved to the Hotel Chelsea in New York City where he has written most of his work.
Living at the Hotel Chelsea brought him into contact with numerous cultural figures. One of them was dancer Rudolf Nureyev and his then-partner Wallace Potts. His scores for Paul Taylor's dance Runes and Robert Altman's film 3 Women, are acknowledged as masterpieces.
In 1985 Busby was diagnosed with HIV as was his partner Samuel Byers. Byers died on Dec. 14, 1993; the couple had been together for 18 years. "Sam’s death was just unbearable… He lost his mind and withered away. I was there the whole time with him and taking care of him, so I just went nuts.” Busby admitted.
After a bout of depression and drug addiction, he became sober and began composing again. Despite being HIV positive, his immune system regenerated, something he attributes to his daily practice of reiki.
