Gene Barge (1926–2025), acclaimed saxophonist and producer 

Gene Barge was a saxophonist and producer whose talents crossed paths with generations of music icons, including Natalie Cole, Muddy Waters, The Rolling Stones, James Brown, Little Richard, and many more.

Andy Paley (1952–2024), SpongeBob SquarePants composer

Andy Paley was a veteran record producer and songwriter who worked with icons like the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, Chris Isaak, and and composed music for shows like “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Ren & Stimpy.”

Colin Petersen (1946–2024), original Bee Gees drummer

Colin Petersen was a child actor, musician and record producer best known as the original drummer for pop legends the Bee Gees.

Quincy Jones (1933–2024), legendary music producer

Quincy Jones was a noted jazz musician, film composer, and one of the greatest music producers of the 20th century, working with Frank Sinatra (1915–1998), Dinah Washington (1924–1963), Michael Jackson (1958–2009), and other top musicians.

Jerry Fuller (1938–2024), Travelin’ Man songwriter

Jerry Fuller was a singer and songwriter best known for his compositions for other artists, including Ricky Nelson’s “Travelin’ Man” and “Young Girl” for Gary Puckett and the Union Gap.

Steve Albini (1962–2024), uncompromising music producer

Steve Albini was a musician and music producer whose uncompromising beliefs and back-to-basics approach helped capture the sound of acts like Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey, and Bush.

Rico Wade (1972–2024), key player in Atlanta’s hip-hop scene

Rico Wade was a member of the Atlanta-based production trio Organized Noize, a key player in Atlanta’s hip-hop scene, and one of the architects of the “Dirty South” sound.

Frank Farian (1941–2024), Milli Vanilli creator

Frank Farian was a German singer, songwriter, and record producer who created the hit pop acts Milli Vanilli and Boney M. 

The 45 King (1961–2023), producer for Jay-Z, Eminem 

Mark Howard James , better known by his stage name The 45 King , was a hip-hop producer who worked with greats like Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, and Eminem. 

Lou Deprijck (1946–2023), í‡a Plane Pour Moi singer

Lou Deprijck was a Belgian singer and producer who wrote and sang the 1978 Plastic Bertrand hit “í‡a plane pour moi.” 

Grand Daddy I.U. (1968–2022), 1990s rapper and producer

Grand Daddy I.U. was a rapper and producer known for singles including “Something New” and “Sugar Free.”

Don Newkirk (2022), De La Soul collaborator  

Don Newkirk was a New York City musician and producer known for his work with De La Soul and Prince Paul.  

Manny Charlton (1941–2022), lead guitarist for Nazareth

Manny Charlton was the founding lead guitarist for the Scottish rock band Nazareth, known for hits including “Love Hurts” and “Hair of the Dog.”

Meghan Stabile (1982–2022), jazz revival promoter

Meghan Stabile was a music impresario who blended jazz and hip-hop to introduce jazz to a new, younger audience.

Lee “Scratch” Perry (1936–2021), legendary reggae singer and dub pioneer

Lee “Scratch” Perry was one of the giants of reggae music, a singer and producer who pioneered the new genre of dub in the 1970s as he incorporated layered rhythms and samples into remixes of his work.

Chucky Thompson (1968–2021), acclaimed hip hop and R&B producer

Chucky Thompson was a hip-hop and R&B producer who worked with artists including the Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige.

Kelli Hand (1964–2021), DJ and producer known as K-Hand

Kelli Hand was a DJ and producer better known as K-Hand, who was called the “first lady of Detroit techno.”

Sophie (1986–2021), Grammy-nominated musician and producer

Sophie Xeon , known professionally as Sophie, was a Scottish Grammy-nominated musician and producer known for her electronic hyperpop music.

Phil Spector (1939–2021), influential record producer convicted of murder

Phil Spector was a record producer who worked with artists including the Beatles and Ike & Tina Turner. At the time of his death, he was serving a prison sentence of 19 years to life for the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson.

Tony “Cookie Monsta” Cook (2020), popular dubstep DJ

Tony Cook, known as “Cookie Monsta,” was a popular dubstep DJ on the EDM festival circuit.

Roy Charles Hammond (2020), legendary soul singer

Roy Charles Hammond was a legendary soul singer known as Roy C. His best-known song was “Shotgun Wedding,” a top 20 R&B hit in 1965.   

Erick Morillo (1971–2020), “I Like to Move It” DJ

Erick Morillo was a DJ and producer known for the dance music hit “I Like to Move It.”     

Rupert Hine (1947–2020), prolific music producer worked with Tina Turner

Rupert Hine was a prolificmusicproducer who worked with Tina Turner, The Fixx, Stevie Nicks, Duncan Sheik, Suzanne Vega, Howard Jones and many other artists during a long music career.

Sam Clayton Jr. (2020), Jamaican bobsledder who helped inspire “Cool Runnings”

Sam Clayton, Jr. was a member of the Jamaican bobsled team that competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary and inspired the 1993 movie “Cool Runnings.” He was also a sound engineer for the reggae band Steel Pulse.

Hal Willner (1956–2020), music producer and SNL staffer

Hal Willner was a music producer who worked with artists including Marianne Faithfull and . He was also a longtime staff member at “Saturday Night Live,” where he was a sketch music producer since 1980.

Adam Schlesinger (1967–2020), Fountains of Wayne bassist and songwriter

Adam Schlesinger was the bassist and one of the principal songwriters for Fountains of Wayne, who had their biggest hit with 2003’s “Stacy’s Mom.”

Keith Olsen (1945–2020), Fleetwood Mac, Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield producer

Keith Olsen  was a rock music producer who produced hit records for many artists including Fleetwood Mac, Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield, Foreigner, and Scorpions. Olsen started as the bass player in the band the Music Machine and later became a producer at Sound City Studio in Los Angeles. Olsen produced the 1973 album “Buckingham Nicks” by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Olsen introduced the pair to Mick Fleetwood who asked them to join his band, Fleetwood Mac. Olsen produced new lineup's first album together that featured “Rhiannon.” Olsen produced Foreigner’s “Double Vision,” Scorpions “Crazy World,” Rick Springfield’s “Working Class Dog,” and Pat Benatar’s smash hit album “Crimes of Passion.” He also produced for Ozzy Osbourne, Sammy Hagar, and Whitesnake.

Ras G (1979–2019), hip hop musician and producer

Ras G was a hip hop musician and producer known for his instrumental, Afrofuturist music, focusing on beats as he blended genres including hip hop, funk, jazz, and psychedelia. Born Gregory Shorter Jr., Ras G was an important part of Los Angeles’ Beat scene and a co-founder of Brainfeeder Records. He released records as a solo act as well as with the Afrikan Space Program. His records include “Ghetto Sci-Fi” (2008), “Brotha From Anotha Planet” (2009), and “Back on the Planet” (2013).

Dave Bartholomew (1918–2019), New Orleans music legend

Dave Bartholomew was one of the architects of rock and roll, partnering with Fats Domino on early rock classics including co-writing “Ain’t That a Shame.” The New Orleans trumpeter, band leader, producer, songwriter, and arranger was involved in many iconic songs including “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” “Blueberry Hill,” “I’m Walking,” and “I Hear You Knocking.” Bartholomew was band leader for one of New Orleans premier R&B bands when he became an A&R man for Imperial Records. At Imperial, he brought in Fats Domino, working with him on combining R&B with big band, jazz, and country to create early rock and roll. Bartholomew was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

Philippe Zdar (1967–2019), influential French music producer

Member of electronic music duo Cassius worked with Beastie Boys and Pharrell Williams.

Andre Williams (1936–2019), R&B singer known as the "Godfather of Rap"

Andre Williams was an R&B singer who had hits in the 1950s with "Bacon Fat" and the too-raunchy-for-radio "Jail Bait." Known as the "Godfather of Rap" for the spoken-sung style he adopted when he wanted to be a recording star but knew he couldn't sing well enough, Williams recorded with labels including Detroit-based Fortune Records and Chicago's Chess Records. His most enduring composition is "Shake a Tail Feather," which became an R&B standard after he co-wrote it, recorded first by the Five Dutones and more famously by Ike and Tina Turner as well as by for the 1980 movie "The Blues Brothers." He wrote songs for , and produced for musicians including Ike Turner and , but he also continued recording and performing his own music all his life, including his 2017 album "Don't Ever Give Up."

Geoff Emerick (1945–2018), Beatles chief sound engineer

The man behind the board for “Revolver,” “Abbey Road,” and “Sgt. Pepper’s.”

Richard Swift (1977–2018), former member of the Shins

Touring musician with the Black Keys and producer for Foxygen.

Glenn Snoddy (1922–2018), invented the fuzz pedal

Keith Richards famously used the pedal on "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."

Avicii (1989–2018), world famous Swedish DJ and producer

Avicii's hits include “Wake Me Up” and “Hey Brother.”

Matt Dike (1961–2018), co-founder of record label Delicious Vinyl

Worked with the Beastie Boys on their masterpiece “Paul’s Boutique.”

Rick Hall (1932–2018), music producer behind “Muscle Shoals sound”

Alabama record producer Rick Hall recorded some of the biggest musical acts of the 1960s and '70s and helped develop the fabled "Muscle Shoals sound."

George Young (1946–2017), co-wrote the hit song “Friday on My Mind” with the Easybeats

Producer for AC/DC on their first five albums.

Bunny Sigler (1941–2017), a key voice in “The Sound of Philadelphia”

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Walter "Bunny" Sigler, a singer, songwriter and producer who helped create "The Sound of Philadelphia" in the 1970s, has died.

Billy Joe Walker Jr. (1952–2017), country music guitarist and producer

Guitarist-producer worked with Travis Tritt, the Dixie Chicks, and the Beach Boys…

Bobby Taylor (1939 - 2017), discovered the Jackson 5

Singer and producer discovered The Jackson 5…

Robert Miles (1969–2017), DJ known for club hit Children

Legendary DJ was known for the 1995 international smash hit “Children.”

Paul O'Neill (1956–2017), Trans-Siberian Orchestra founder

Music mastermind founded prog rock’s Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Tommy LiPuma (1936–2017), Grammy-winning record producer

Grammy-winning record producer worked with Paul McCartney.

William Onyeabor (1946–2017), pioneering funk musician

Pioneering funk musician from Nigeria.

Tony Martell (1926–2016), T.J. Martell Foundation founder

Music executive who founded the T.J. Martell Foundation for leukemia research.

Kashif Saleem (1959–2016), singer and songwriter

Kashif Saleem, a singer-songwriter,multi-instrumentalist,and record producer, died Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, in Los Angeles, California, according to multiple news sources. Saleem was 56.

Juan Gabriel (1950 - 2016), legendary Mexican singer

Juan Gabriel, a legendary Mexican singer, died Aug. 28, 2016, according to multiple news sources. He was 66.

Rudy Van Gelder (1924–2016), jazz recording engineer

Legendary jazz recording engineer.