Walter Becker

Walter Becker
Becker performing in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Walter Carl Becker
Born	(1950-02-20)February 20, 1950 Queens, New York, U.S.
Died	September 3, 2017(2017-09-03) (aged 67) Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Genres	Jazz rock
Occupations	Musician songwriter record producer
Instruments	Guitar bass guitar vocals keyboards
Years active	1969–2017
Labels	ABC MCA Giant Reprise Warner Bros.
Formerly of	Steely Dan China Crisis
Website	walterbecker.com

Walter Carl Becker (February 20, 1950 – September 3, 2017) was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was the co-founder, guitarist, bassist, and co-songwriter of the jazz rock band Steely Dan.^[1][2]

Becker met future songwriting partner Donald Fagen while they were students at Bard College. After a brief period of activity in New York City, the two moved to Los Angeles in 1971 and formed the nucleus of Steely Dan, which enjoyed a critically and commercially successful ten-year career. Following the group's dissolution, Becker moved to Hawaii and reduced his musical activity, working primarily as a record producer. In 1985, he briefly became a member of the English band China Crisis, producing and playing synthesizer on their album Flaunt the Imperfection.

Becker and Fagen reformed Steely Dan in 1993 and remained active, recording Two Against Nature (2000), which won four Grammy Awards. Becker released two solo albums, 11 Tracks of Whack (1994) and Circus Money (2008). Following a brief battle with esophageal cancer, he died on September 3, 2017. He and Fagen are the only two members of Steely Dan who appeared on every studio album by the band.