R.I.P.: Roy Thomas Baker, Renowned Queen Record Producer

Roy Thomas Baker, a renowned music producer of the 1970s and 1980s, best known for his work on Queen’s iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” passed away on April 12, 2025, at his home in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. 

He was 78. 

Bob Merlis, a spokesperson, announced the death, noting that the cause was not yet determined.

Baker worked with major bands including the Cars, Journey, Mötley Crüe, and Foreigner as a producer and sound engineer across various studios. 

His most celebrated contribution was producing Queen’s nearly six-minute “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a genre-defying pop hit. In a 2005 New York Times interview, Baker called the song “ageless” for its refusal to fit any single musical genre, adding, “I thought it was going to be a hit, but I didn’t realize it would still be talked about 30 years later.”

Born on November 10, 1946, in Hampstead, England, Baker began his career in 1963 at Decca Studios in London as a second engineer under Angus Boyd (Gus) Dudgeon, later known for working with Elton John, and Tony Visconti, who collaborated with David Bowie and Marc Bolan. Baker’s diverse portfolio included projects with Ten Years After, Dr. John, the Moody Blues, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, and the Who. 

He served as chief engineer on hits like Free’s “All Right Now” and T. Rex’s “Bang a Gong (Get It On).”