A ‘The Simpsons’ Legend Has Died: Bryan Loren Was 58

Songwriter and producer Bryan Loren, who became a part of The Simpsons’ history through his collaborations with Michael Jackson, has died. He was 58.

Loren’s friend, Shana Mangatal, announced his passing on Facebook on Wednesday, beginning, “This is sad news to share. My dear friend- extraordinarily talented music producer, Bryan Loren has passed away. He would have been 59 this year.”

Mangatal wrote that Loren’s brother Geno had shared the news, calling him “a brilliant musician who lived his life unapologetically” and who “left his mark on the world” with his “ELITE” talent and “true” character.

Looking back on her memories with Loren over the years, including his interactions with Jackson, Mangatal wrote that her friends’ talent “was on the level of Prince” and “Truly rare.” She concluded, “Rest easy, B. Thank you for the decades of memories, the laughter, the stories, and the music.”

As a composer, musician and producer, Loren’s blend of funk and soul made its way into The Simpsons universe with the 1990 song “Do the Bartman,” written by Loren and performed by Bart Simpson voice artist Nancy Cartwright with backing vocals from Jackson, who also produced the song.

The song, which appeared on The Simpsons Sing the Blues, received much radio airplay in the U.S., reaching number 22 on Billboard’s Radio Songs chart, despite never officially being released as a single. The song also became an MTV hit after a music video was released, and it even received a nomination at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards.

Loren’s collaboration with Jackson only grew from there, as he worked with the “Thriller” artist on the early phases of his album Dangerous.

“Michael would often drive to Bryan’s house in Woodland Hills and record music in his basement studio,” Mangatal recalled in her Facebook tribute. “I remember they even spent a Thanksgiving together- just two guys, laughing, creating, talking about girls, cartoons, and life.”

She added, “Bryan and MJ bonded because they were both young musical geniuses who loved nerdy things.”

In addition to his work with Jackson, Loren also played with the bands Fat Larry’s Band and Cashmere, and collaborated with other well-known artists, including Whitney Houston, Damion Hall, Eric Benét, Barry White, and Sting.

He also released the solo singles “Lollipop Luv” and “Do You Really Love Me?” in 1984, which peaked at numbers 23 and 64 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.