Mike Huckaby, legendary Detroit DJ, dies from coronavirus-related causes

Mike Huckaby, the legendary Detroit DJ who was an integral part of the city’s electronic music scene, has died. He was 54 years old.

The news was confirmed by his booking agency, Connect. Sharing the news on Facebook, they wrote: “RIP Mike Huckaby. One of the greatest djs and producers in the history of electronic dance music. An incredible human being. The world has lost a genius today.”

Booking agent Daniel Liakhovitski confirmed to Pitchfork that Huckaby passed away from complications related to a stroke and the coronavirus.

“Mike Huckaby was an incredible talent and a beautiful soul. A giant of a man, deeply loved by all who knew him. Mike’s life was all about music. Please listen to his tracks and his DJ mixes. His music speaks louder than words,” Liakhovitski said in a statement. “His legacy will forever live on in the hearts of house and techno music lovers all over the world.”

In the 1990s, Huckaby worked at the renowned Record Time music store, where he worked alongside techno peers Dan Bell, Claude Young, and Magda as a manager and buyer for the shop.

Before launching his own Deep Transportation label in 2002, Huckaby released a series of singles, EPs and remixes in the mid-90s, including ‘Deep Transportations Vol.1’ and ‘Deep Transportations Vol.2’, released on Rick Wade’s Harmonie Park label in 1995 and 1996 respectively.

He also set up lecturing camps around the world that offered courses in sound design and production.

Tributes have begun to pour in for the DJ, including from Disclosure, who wrote: “Rest in peace Mike Huckaby. Your music has & will continue to inspire us.”

Gilles Peterson wrote: “we lost DJ / producer Mike Huckaby…. a key mentor and champion of Detroit…his @SunRaUniverse edits never leave my box.”

“Mike was my mentor, my teacher,” Mike Servito tweeted. “A guardian w/ immeasurable influence. all these decades later, I hold him in the highest regards. Mike Huckaby & his endless contributions will always be the truth. An irreplaceable Detroit enigma. Godspeed my friend, Huck.”

See more tributes to Huckaby below:

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