Music producer Roy Thomas Baker, the man behind some of Queen’s biggest records, has died. Baker passed away April 12 at his home in Lake Havasu, Arizona, at the age of 78.
Baker produced Queen’s first five albums — 1973’s Queen, 1974’s Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack, 1975’s A Night at the Opera and 1978’s Jazz — and was the producer behind their mega hit “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
He also produced four albums by The Cars — their 1978 self-titled debut, 1979’s Candy-O, 1980’s Panorama and 1981’s Shake It Up, featuring such songs as “Just What I Needed,” “My Best Friend’s Girl” and “Shake It Up,” as well as “Good Times Roll,” which was reportedly inspired by Baker.
Baker also produced works by such artists as Foreigner, Journey, Yes, Smashing Pumpkins, Devo, Cheap Trick, Ozzy Osbourne and Guns N’ Roses.
In addition to producing, Baker spent time as an executive at Elektra Records, where he was involved in the signing of such artists as Metallica, Simply Red and 10,000 Maniacs.
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