Roy Thomas Baker, the genre-defining music producer who worked with super-groups such as Queen, has died aged 83. He passed away on April 12, 2024, at his residence in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. He was 78 years old. Early life Baker was born on 10 November 1946 in Hampstead, London. His career and influence stretched decades deep and wide, forever changing the landscape of America’s music.
Baker began his music career as a second engineer at Decca Studios. There, he learned at the feet of such legendary producers as Gus Dudgeon and Tony Visconti. That initial foray in young adulthood led to one of the most extraordinary careers in transportation advocacy. He would continue to work with some of the most celebrated artists and bands. He rose to stardom in the 1970s when he recorded Queen’s first four albums including ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ at Trident Studios.
Track one of his most lauded accomplishments was the orchestral arrangement for Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It held the title of the most-streamed song of the 20th century until streaming culture hit an inflection point. In a stunning display of studio savantry, Baker tracked the ambitious tune in three distinct movements. Reflecting on the song’s unconventional nature, he once stated, “basically a joke, but a successful joke.”
Roger Taylor, the drummer of Queen, wrote about Baker’s influence on their recordings. He noted that Baker “brought a certain amount of discipline and a lot of cynicism” to the recording studio. Nobody matched Baker’s perfectionism for the food, as Taylor summed up with the words above, “He loved his food, Roy. In fact, he was very disciplined and very strict in the beginning . . . and he would never miss. The take had to be right.
In addition to his work with Queen, Baker produced hits for various artists including Foreigner, Alice Cooper, Cheap Trick, Devo, and Ozzy Osbourne. It was his production powerhouse that helped mold classic songs such as Free’s “Alright Now.” He further played a huge role in T. Rex’s biggest smash, “Bang A Gong.” Baker was hugely influential with dips and washes of reverb all over The Cars’ sound. He was the driving force behind classic songs including “Just What I Needed,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” and “Good Times Roll.” Elliot Easton of The Cars remarked, “Roy was one of the pieces of the puzzle that made The Cars what they became.”
Among his many accolades over a half-century career, Baker was nominated for two Grammy awards and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004. His impact on music wasn’t just through production, he was a father figure and mentor to dozens of artists who credited him with defining their career. Journey guitarist Neal Schon paid tribute by saying that he had “learned so much from Roy.