Pro Audio In Memoriam 2024

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.

Mix Live Blog: Bob Heil, 1940 – 2024

By Steve La Cerra ⋅ Published: 03/14/2024

The audio industry received sad news when we learned of the passing of Bob Heil. A true pioneer of the live sound industry, Bob was 83 when he succumbed to cancer.

Bruce Knight, Veteran FOH Engineer, Passes

By Clive Young ⋅ Published: 04/22/2024 

Veteran live sound engineer Bruce “BK” Knight passed away Sunday, April 21, 2024. Across a 40-plus-year professional career, he mixed artists as varied as Prince, Faith No More and Bob Seger, among dozens of top name acts.

Steve Albini, Alt-Rock Musician/Producer, Dead at 61

By Clive Young ⋅ Published: 05/08/2024

Steve Albini, longtime musician, recording engineer, reluctant producer, studio owner and poker champion, died Monday, May 7, 2024.

Engineer, Producer and Mixer Eric “ET” Thorngren Passes

By Steve Harvey ⋅ Published: 05/16/2024

From the birth of Sugar Hill Records to the Dolby Atmos remix of Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, he was the musician’s engineer.

Producer Peter Collins Passes at 73

By Clive Young ⋅ Published: 07/01/2024

Producer Peter Collins has died, bringing to an end a career that saw him produce acts as varied as Rush, Tom Jones, Musical Youth, Indigo Girls, Suicidal Tendencies, Rick Astley and others.

Telefunken Elektroakustik Founder Toni Roger Fishman Passes

By Mix Staff ⋅ Published: 07/15/2024

Toni Roger Fishman, founder of microphone company Telefunken Elektroakustik, died Friday, July 12, 2024.

Radial Founder Peter Janis Passes

By Mix Staff ⋅ Published: 08/12/2024

Founding Radial Engineering in 1996, Peter Janis turned his small, entrepreneurial, Canadian company into a pro-audio powerhouse.

Quincy Jones, Legendary Producer/Musician, Passes at 91

By Clive Young ⋅ Published: 11/04/2024

Quincy Jones—the legendary music/TV/film producer, musician, composer, conductor, record executive and countless other titles—died Sunday, November 3, at the age of 91.

Rock Producer Shel Talmy Passes at 87

By Clive Young ⋅ Published: 11/18/2024

Shel Talmy, who produced legendary tracks by The Kinks and The Who, died Wednesday, November 13, 2024, of undisclosed causes.

Producer/Musician Andy Paley Passes at 72

By Mix Staff ⋅ Published: 11/21/2024

Andy Paley produced everyone from Brian Wilson to Spongebob Squarepants, in addition to hitting the charts as half of 1970s power-pop pioneers The Paley Brothers.