Mike Huckaby, Detroit producer, and DJ has died. Members of the international dance music community on 24 April, took to social media to extend tributes to the famous deep-house figurehead after news of his passing was posted by longtime Detroit promoter, Adriel Thornton, who tweeted on behalf of the family of the Huckaby. No official cause of death has been confirmed at the time of writing. At the time of writing, no official cause of death has been shared. However, in March this year, Fellow Detroit DJ Delano Smith initiated a GoFundMe campaign for Huckaby, citing an unspecified “medical setback.” Smith updated the GoFundMe page on 6 April, writing that Huckaby had been “relocated to another facility in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic to begin his recovery.” Smith wrote in the update, that Huckaby was “alert and sharp” at the time. No further information has been given.
In Detroit’s electronic music landscape, Huckaby was a highly regarded and impactful musician, renowned for his unique, intense, and soulful house music and impeccable selections. He toured widely around the world from the mid-90s onwards, releasing EPs and tracks on labels including Cross Section Records, Harmonie Park, and his own Deep Transportation and S Y N T H. He was a longtime manager and buyer at Record Time store in Detroit, too. An influential figure for young, aspiring DJs and producers, Huckaby led production workshops at and beyond YouthVille Detroit, counting him as a mentor for countless DJs and electronic artists.
