The Loss of a Friend

It's gloomy weather today, which suits my mood having learned that my friend, Roger Nichols, has died. Roger was a gifted recording engineer who worked with some of the best, from Diana Ross, John Denver and Frank Sinatra, to Placido Domingo and Steely Dan. He won seven Grammys, and could do magic with a mix. A serious fitness buff, Roger was in amazing shape and rode phenomenal distances on his state-of-the-art bike. He would summon me to hike the trails in the mountains up Mulholland Drive, and despite being older than me, left me in the dust heaving for breath.

Roger was a most generous fellow and of such eternally good spirit that he always managed to make light of every negative situation. One day as we were headed up for a hike I noticed Roger's car was making an annoying repetitive beeping sound. He said it was a minor thing that the dealer wanted $500 to fix. "So, now, I like the sound," Roger said. He was just that way. He could find music in anything. Roger generously did a couple of audio mixes for me on some television pitch reels I was working on. All he asked in repayment was a hot meal and well, maybe some of my baked goods. An amazing guy. He'll be deeply, deeply missed. Listen to NPR's salute to him here: NPR Roger Nichols Salute