While the pro audio industry never stops moving, late December always gives us a moment of pause where we look back at the year that’s passed, remembering the friends and fellow pros that we’ve lost over the previous 12 months. From producers of classic hits known the world over to company founders who created gear that we use every day, these were among the most renowned audio pros who passed this year. We encourage you to read their stories, listed below in chronological order by the date they departed.
Legendary Rock Producer Dave Jerden Passes
By Clive Young ⋅ Published: 02/06/2025
Producer/engineer Dave Jerden died Wednesday, February 5. Over the course of a four-decade career, Jerden worked on an astonishing number of albums that have come to define Alternative Rock.
KV2 Founder George Krampera Passes
By Mix Staff ⋅ Published: 03/04/2025
Loudspeaker manufacturer KV2 Audio has announced that the company’s founder, George Krampera Sr., has died.
Queen, Cars Producer Roy Thomas Baker Passes at 78
By Clive Young ⋅ Published: 04/22/2025
Across a 50-plus year career, Roy Thomas Baker captured some of rock’s most incredible performances by its biggest names.
Producer Hitman Howie Tee, Dead at 61
By Clive Young ⋅ Published: 08/04/2025
A mainstay of New York hip-hop in the 1980s and early 90s, Howie Tee crafted hits for The Real Roxanne, Color Me Badd and more.
Steve Cropper, Legendary Guitarist/Producer, Dead at 84
By Clive Young ⋅ Published: 12/04/2025
Whether writing, playing on or producing classics, Steve Cropper helped shape Soul and R&B music.