The Simpsons music editor Chris Ledesma has died aged 64 as the long-running sitcom paid tribute to the “talented” man in an on-air message
The Simpsons music editor Chris Ledesma has died at the age of 64 and the long-running sitcom is paying tribute to the “kind” and “talented” man.
Chris had worked on the popular animated sitcom since it premiered in 1989, working on every episode for 33 years until retiring in May 2022.
The show paid tribute to the longtime music editor of its latest episode with a title card that read, “In loving memory of Chris Ledesma.”
Sad news: The Simpsons music editor Chris Ledesma has died at the age of 64, and the long-running sitcom is paying tribute to the “kind” and “talented” man
The sweet message was displayed below an animated version of Chris sitting on the iconic Simpsons sofa alongside Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie and Bart.
Simpsons crew members took to Twitter to pay their respects to their “cute” and “talented” colleague following the sad news of his passing.
Author Carolyn Omine wrote: “Chris Ledesma was a sweet man who loved his job and was really, really good at it. We miss him.’
Executive producer and showrunner Matt Selman wrote, “Chris Ledesma was a sweet, goofy dude with a huge heart – his amazing musical life unfolds 33 years at @TheSimpsons.”
Tribute: The show paid tribute to the longtime music editor of his latest episode with a title card that read, “In Loving Memory of Chris Ledesma.”
New music editor Jake Schaefer said: “Chris Ledesma’s passion for music and for @TheSimpsons has been an inspiration.
“I’m grateful for the time I got to spend with him this year. He was a great mentor and a real person. My heart goes out to his family. Rest in peace Chris.’
Animator Matthew Schofield added, “I was shocked and saddened to learn of Chris Ledesma’s recent death.
“He very kindly arranged for me to attend the scoring session for my episode Black Eyed, Please. A wonderful guy who really loved his job. RIP Chris.’
From the heart: The sweet message was displayed beneath an animated version of Chris sitting on the iconic Simpsons sofa alongside Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie and Bart
The Simpsons’ official Twitter page also retweeted a series of affectionate tributes to Chris on their own account.
In September 2021, Chris had taken to Twitter to mark a “significant” milestone when he confirmed he had been working on The Simpsons for “half” of his life.
He wrote: “Today is a significant milestone for me. I am 23,242 days old. I worked 11,621 days on The Simpsons. Born on 01/28/1958. First day at #TheSimpsons 11/22/1989.
“Not many can say they’ve literally worked half their lives at ANY job.”
Gushing: Simpsons crew members took to Twitter to pay their respects to their “cute” and “talented” colleague following the sad news of his death
Chris, who has lived his entire life in Southern California, studied orchestral conducting at the California Institute of the Arts and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
He began playing the piano at the age of three and is credited with working on feature films such as Pure Country, Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Blast from the Past.
Chris first entered showbiz in 1984 as a tour guide at Universal Studios Hollywood before beginning work on The Simpsons and musically editing every single episode for 33 years.
He was married to his wife Michelle for 39 years and they share two daughters together. According to his IMDB bio, he became a grandfather in 2010.
Career: Chris had worked on the popular animated sitcom since it premiered in 1989 and stayed on the show for 33 years until retiring in May 2022