Max HeyraudWithin the last few weeks, club culture has lost some of its most iconic voices—those who have soundtracked some of the scene’s most legendary tracks. Among those who have recently passed are DJ Funk, Roy Ayers, Gwen McCrae, Angie Stone, and Roberta Flack.
Roy Ayers, the pioneering jazz-funk vibraphonist, passed away at the age of 84 on March 4th. Revered for his groundbreaking 1970s work, Ayers’ “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” became a defining track not only in jazz and funk but also in hip-hop, R&B, and dance music. The track has been widely sampled by artists like J Dilla and Mary J. Blige, and championed by DJs such as Lenny D and A Guy Called Gerald, becoming integral to the fabric of electronic music and beyond. Yet, despite its extensive remixes and reinterpretations, the original continues to light up dancefloors around the world.
Angie Stone, the iconic neo-soul singer, tragically passed away in a car accident on March 1, 2025. Rising to prominence in the ‘90s with her now-iconic blend of soul, R&B, and hip-hop, Stone also made a major impact in dance music, particularly within house. Her 2001 hit “I Wish I Didn’t Miss You,” with its unforgettable Hex Hector remix, became a club anthem, reaching the top of Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart and cementing her place in dance music history. The track epitomised the diva house subgenre, driven by soulful vocals and uplifting energy. It was also notably the last track ever played at the seminal Ibiza club Space by Carl Cox.
DJ Funk passed away at 54 last week after a battle with stage 4 cancer. A pioneer in the Chicago “ghetto house” scene, Funk was pivotal in shaping the genre. His tracks like “Pump It,” “Run,” and “Work Dat Body” became essential ghetto house anthems, while his 1999 album Booty House Anthems sold over a million copies in the U.S. Funk’s influence was felt throughout the club scene, even receiving a shout-out from Daft Punk in their track “Teachers.”
Gwen McCrae passed away at 81 on February 21, 2025. Best known for her 1975 hit “Rockin’ Chair,” McCrae’s soulful vocals left an indelible mark on both soul and dance music. Her tracks became foundational in modern house and electronic music, sampled by legends like Cassius, Disclosure, Masters at Work, Armand Van Helden, and more. “Rockin’ Chair” continues to be reworked by countless DJs, while “Keep The Fire Burning” remains a dancefloor anthem today.
Roberta Flack, the legendary singer and pianist who wrote timeless hits like “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” died on February 24th. Flack’s emotive fusion of R&B, jazz, folk, and pop helped shape the quiet storm genre. She won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year two years in a row. Beyond her impact on soul and jazz, Flack’s influence spanned the house music scene, with her work sampled by icons like Junior Jack and appearing on labels like Pampa Records. Recently, her vocals appeared once again on Suprshy, a new house track commanding dancefloors worldwide. Her collaborations with Donny Hathaway and Peabo Bryson are considered landmarks in music history.
