Walter Becker was born Walter Carl Becker (February 20, 1950 – September 3, 2017) and was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was best known as the co-founder, guitarist, bassist, and co-songwriter of Steely Dan. He died on September 3, 2017 following an undisclosed illness, aged 67.
When he was a young boy his parents separated, and he was raised by his father and grandmother, and lived in Queens and then from the age of five in Scarsdale, New York.
Becker met future song writing partner Donald Fagen while studying at Bard College. While at Bard, Becker and Fagen formed and played in several bands, including the Leather Canary, a “jazz” band which also included actor and comedian Chevy Chase on drums.
Becker and Fagan moved to California in 1971 and formed Steely Dan, who enjoyed a critically and commercially successful 10-year career.
Despite the band’s success, Walter Becker suffered from numerous personal problems including an addiction to narcotics. In 1978 a wrongful death lawsuit was issued against him, following the death of his girlfriend, Karen Roberta Stanley, from a drug overdose in his apartment. Soon after, Becker was hit by taxi while crossing the street and was forced to walk with crutches. His personal exhaustion was made worse by commercial pressures and the complicated recording processes used on the then final album of Steely Dan, 1980’s “Gaucho”, leading the duo to split in June 1981
When Steely Dan split, Becker moved to Maui, Hawaii, stopped using drugs and became an Avocado farmer. He reduced his musical activity, and worked mainly as a record producer for artists such as Michael Franks, Fra Lippo Lippi and Rickie Lee Jones.
In 1985, he briefly became a member of the English sophisti-pop group China Crisis, producing and playing synthesizer on their album “Flaunt the Imperfection”.
Becker and Fagen reformed Steely Dan in 1993 and remained active, most notably including their 2000 “Two Against Nature” album, which won four Grammy Awards. In 2001 the duo were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and they also received Honorary Doctor of Music degrees from Berklee College of Music.
Becker also released two solo albums, “11 Tracks of Whack” in 1994, and “Circus Money” in 2008.
Walter Becker died on September 3, 2017 following an undisclosed illness, aged 67. No cause of death has been announced.
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