American musician, songwriter, and record producer (1950–2017)
For other people named Walter Becker, see Walter Becker (disambiguation).
Walter Becker
Becker performing in 2013
Background information
Birth name
Walter Carl Becker
Born
(1950-02-20)February 20, 1950 Queens, New York, U.S.
Died
September 3, 2017(2017-09-03) (aged 67) Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Genres
Jazz rock
Occupation(s)
Musician
songwriter
record producer
Instrument(s)
Guitar
bass guitar
vocals
keyboards
Years active
1969–2017
Labels
ABC
MCA
Giant
Reprise
Warner Bros.
Formerly of
Steely Dan
China Crisis
Website
walterbecker.com
Musical artist
Walter Carl Becker (February 20, 1950 – September 3, 2017) was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was the co-founder, guitarist, bassist, and co-songwriter of the jazz rock band Steely Dan.[1][2]
Becker met future songwriting partner Donald Fagen while they were students at Bard College. After a brief period of activity in New York City, the two moved to Los Angeles in 1971 and formed the nucleus of Steely Dan, which enjoyed a critically and commercially successful ten-year career. Following the group's dissolution, Becker moved to Hawaii and reduced his musical activity, working primarily as a record producer. In 1985, he briefly became a member of the English band China Crisis, producing and playing synthesizer on their album Flaunt the Imperfection.
Becker and Fagen reformed Steely Dan in 1993 and remained active, recording Two Against Nature (2000), which won four Grammy Awards. Becker released two solo albums, 11 Tracks of Whack (1994) and Circus Money (2008). Following a brief battle with esophageal cancer, he died on September 3, 2017. He and Fagen are the only two members of Steely Dan who appeared on every studio album by the band.
^"STEELY DAN biography". Great Rock Bible. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
^Russonello, Giovanni, "Listen to 13 Essential Walter Becker Songs." New York Times, 2017-09-04. Accessed 2019-05-29.
Walter Carl Becker (February 20, 1950 – September 3, 2017) was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was the co-founder, guitarist...
Steely Dan is an American rock band founded in 1971 in New York by WalterBecker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals)...
the band Steely Dan, formed in the early 1970s with musical partner WalterBecker. In addition to his work with Steely Dan, Fagen has released four solo...
Steely Dan is an American jazz rock group founded by WalterBecker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). The band's...
events, both real and fictional. In a BBC interview in 2000, songwriters WalterBecker and Donald Fagen revealed that "Kid Charlemagne" is loosely based on...
"Skunk" Baxter and drummer Jim Hodder left the group as a result of WalterBecker and Donald Fagen's decision to stop touring and focus solely on recording...
written primarily by WalterBecker and bandleader Donald Fagen, who also sang and played keyboard. The album marked the beginning of Becker and Fagen's roles...
drums with Toto, Wayne Krantz, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Donald Fagen, WalterBecker, Tal Wilkenfeld, John Mayer, Sting, and Chris Botti. In Modern Drummer's...
advantage of others, "My Old School" was inspired by a drug bust involving WalterBecker and Donald Fagen while they were students at Bard College, "King of...
WalterBecker, released in 1994. It was his third collaboration since 1980 with Steely Dan partner Donald Fagen, who produced the album, after Becker...
bassist. Must have jazz chops! Assholes need not apply". Donald Fagen and WalterBecker responded to the advertisement. They joined his band and immediately...
Dan (1993). All tracks are written by WalterBecker and Donald Fagen, except where noted Steely Dan WalterBecker – guitar, lead vocals on "Book of Liars"...
"Deacon Blues" is a song written by WalterBecker and Donald Fagen in 1976 and recorded by their group Steely Dan on their 1977 album Aja. It peaked at...
by WalterBecker of Steely Dan fame and reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart in May 1985. China Crisis was so honoured to directly work with Becker that...
psychedelic scene of the 1960s on the West Coast. Specifically, writers WalterBecker and Donald Fagen have stated that the lyrics were loosely inspired by...
Holly Cole, Madeleine Peyroux, The Innocence Mission, Melody Gardot, WalterBecker and Tracy Chapman. Klein grew up in Monterey Park, California, the son...
recording of their 2000 released album Two Against Nature, Donald Fagen and WalterBecker of Steely Dan wanted to hire another rhythm guitar player for some tracks...
Tracks is a compilation of session recordings made by Donald Fagen and WalterBecker prior to their formation of the band Steely Dan. Most were never released...
Look up Becker in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Becker (German pronunciation: [ˈbɛkɐ, -kər]) is one of the German-language surnames, along with Bäcker...
Global Information