DAVID GREENE

(March 29, 1940 - January 29, 2026) David Greene wanted this obituary to run with a picture of a hammer and the headline "This is not a drill." He would certainly disapprove of any seriousness that follows. David died on January 29th, after exhausting all other options. He lived in Toronto for more than a half century, but remained, first and foremost, a New Yorker and steadfast Yankees fan. His long career as a music producer and engineer began in the 1960s and made him part of many milestones in the recording industry, as a VP at A&R Records, then chief engineer at Manta Sound, then head of Unlimited Productions Ltd. and Magnetic Music, producing audio for film and television. David was an industry legend and recorded stars across a wide range of musical genres, including Dolly Parton, Frank Zappa, Elton John, Chuck Mangione, Yo-Yo Ma, John Williams, Pablo Casals and the Canadian Brass. His work was recognized with multiple Emmys, Junos and Geminis, including a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. But at the end of the day, he was fairly indifferent to celebrity and awards; what moved and motivated him above all else was people's kindness, and his friendships with generations of engineers, producers and composers that followed him. Family meant everything to David. He adored, and was adored by, his daughters, Megan and Alexis (who he called "Greta and Zelda" or "the girls"); his stepson, Jason; and their spouses, Jeromey, Ryan and Jessica. He was a doting grandfather to his grandkids. He never got over losing the love of his life, Jan, and remained a committed supporter of Alzheimer's societies after her death. The tone here has become far too earnest for David, who never met a pun he didn't like, told famously groan-inducing jokes, and usually ended emails and phone calls with his signature "have a silly day." There will not be a public funeral at this time; a remembrance of life will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in his name to the Alzheimer Society.