Daniel Wherrett, the legendary West Coast DJ and EDM producer known as DJ Dan, has died.
DJ Dan’s death was announced on his social media pages Sunday, March 29, with the statement calling the producer “one of the most beloved, genre-defying, and genuinely influential pioneers in the history of American electronic music.”
A cause of death has not been announced, and his age is undetermined. USA TODAY has reached out to DJ Dan’s label for more information.
Born in Lacey, Washington, DJ Dan followed a love of dance music to Los Angeles in the early ’90s. He went on to cofound the San Francisco dance collective Funky Tekno Tribe and helped pioneer the West Coast house sound, a “psychedelic fusion of House, Breakbeat dubs, and Techno unlike anything heard before,” read the statement.
A frequent festival headliner, he also produced remixes for the likes of Depeche Mode, A Tribe Called Quest, Lady Gaga and Janet Jackson. In 2006, DJ Mag named him the No. 1 house DJ in the world.
According to his obituary, he also mixed a theme song for the “Transformers” series for Cartoon Network and Hasbro.
“He leaves behind not just a discography, but a culture — a way of feeling music that touched millions of souls across four decades and five continents,” continued the tribute. “He often said he felt his purpose in life was ‘to heal through music.'”
Fellow musicians paid tribute in the DJ’s comments, including DJ Mikey Lion. “Every one of us should aspire to leave behind a legacy like Dan’s,” Lion wrote. “His musical impact will live on forever, but it’s his kindness, spirit, and the way he made people feel that will echo the loudest. RIP legend.”
Fellow Bay Area DJ and producer Ron Reeser thanked DJ Dan for inspiring him. “You showed an entire generation how to tell a story through music seamlessly,” Reeser wrote. “Forever grateful Fish, Rest easy…”
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