Chris Ledesma, veteran music editor for the iconic cartoon “The Simpsons,” has died at the age of 64.
The show paid tribute to his life and career at the end of Sunday’s episode, showing an animated version of Ledesma holding a conductor’s baton and sitting on the Simpsons’ couch alongside the show’s main characters: Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie and Bart.
Ledesma worked on every single episode of “The Simpsons” during his 33-year career on the show, which lasted from 1989 to May 2022, according to the New York Post.
It’s unclear exactly when or how Ledesma died. Tributes to the musical genius and his work have poured out online and in the show itself. “A wonderful, hard working, very talented man who will be missed by all he knew,” writer Al Jean shared on Twitter.
“Chris Ledesma was a sweet, goofy guy with a giant heart — his amazing musical life is played out over 33 years of [The Simpsons],” the show’s executive producer and showrunner Matt Selman tweeted.
.@TheSimpsons A wonderful, hard working, very talented man who will be missed by all he knew. pic.twitter.com/pFR1dMHeQ8
— Al Jean (@AlJean) January 2, 2023
Ledesma majored in orchestral conducting at the California Institute of the Arts and San Francisco Conservatory of Music, his IMDb page shows. Ledesma shared his dedication to “The Simpsons” in September 2021, noting he had worked on the show for literally more than half his life. (RELATED: ‘Best Video Ever Made’: Hilarious Cartoon Nails Absurdity Behind Crypto Founder’s Downfall)
He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Michelle, and their two daughters, according to the NY Post.