Veteran producer and musician Andy Paley, best known for composing the music for Spongebob Squarepants died at 72 on November 20. A rep for Paley's band, Tom Kenny & The Hi-Seas, confirmed the news to PEOPLE. As per Variety and Deadline, the producer was battling cancer.
He was also known for songwriting and producing for Brian Wilson, Jerry Lee Lewin, Elton John, Madonna, Patti Smith, and many others. Wilson's Facebook page shared a tribute about the late music producer, calling him "literally instrumental in Brian starting his solo career."
"He co-wrote three of the songs, including 'Rio Grande.' Andy collaborated again with Brian on the legendary, unreleased 'Wilson Paley Sessions' counting more than 20 songs. Brian always called him 'The Genius Andy Paley'. Love and mercy goes out to Andy's family and friends."
More about Andy Paley's career
Born in New York in November 1952, Paley started his career by playing for local bands upstate before performing with Catfish Black in the 70s. In 1976, he went on to form a band; Paley Brothers with his brother Jonathan. The duo signed to Sire Records and were known for their catchy melodies and tight harmonies.
After the duo split, Andy went on to become a staff producer at Sire Records and produced Brian Wilson's eponymous 1988 solo album, while also co-writing several of the songs.
The musician then got involved in creating melodies for cartoons and worked for The Ren and Stimpy Show in the 90s. He also penned material for Camp Lazlo before he was introduced to SpongeBoB's voice actor Tom Kenny in 2004.
Andy Paley with the SpongeBob crew curated hits like The Best Day Ever and Paley went on to start a genre-fusing band with Kenny called Tom Kenny & The Hi-Seas. Their song, The Best Day Ever is also featured in the SpongeBob musical that opened on Broadway in 2017.
Paley work's was strongly influenced by vintage rock and roll, pop, and punk, while often blending these elements together. However, while speaking to La Times in 1990, Paley said that he didn't have a "signature thing" that he does and just wanted music to sound good, "whatever it takes."
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"The main thing I can say about any project is to have a vision of what the ultimate product is going to be in your head. That end carries over into everything, even to questions like, 'Should they order lunch now."
Andy Paley will forever live on in the hearts of his wife, Heather Crist Paley, their children, Jackson and Charlie, his sisters, Sarah, Brewster, and Debby, as well as his brother, through their love, memories, and the music they shared.
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