Nigel has passed...

Let me preface this by apologizing in advance if this has been announced elsewhere on the site.

I saw the announcement this morning on Nigel's facebook page that said he had passed last week. I saw no details pertaining to his passing in the post.

I'm so sorry to hear this. Nigel and I got along well and his contributions to furthering musical knowledge, friendships and support via the Synthzone can't be measured.

Condolences to his family and his friends.

May he rest in peace...

Very sad. I met Nigel at a synthzone jam at Bebop's place many years ago. He was a very nice guy and gave me a few guitar pointers. He will be missed.

Totally shocked ! Thanks for his great contributions. RIP

Saw his passing mentioned in my FB feed this morning. So sad, R.I.P. Nigel, and sincere condolences to his family.

Very sorry to hear this. Prayers and condolences to his family.

So sorry to hear this. I had only recently returned to the SZ community and Nigel's moderation here was one of the main reasons.

He will be greatly missed.

Prayers to his family. RIP

May his soul rest in perfect peace. Still in shock!!!!

Sad day for all of us .

I am totally shocked and. sad to hear this. His contribution to the arranger keyboard community is great and will be missed. RIP Nigel.

Very sad news !!!!! You will be missed !!!!

Kerri called me last week to tell me in person.
She wanted to wait to call some Synthzone folks first.
She wanted to make a statement on Synthzone later ...
I am shocked and saddened.
Met him a few times in person.
One of the nicest guys. Very genuine.
Kerri has a hard time with this ...
My heart and prayers go out to her and their family.
Eric

RIP NIGEL

I didn't know Nigel, but I'm very grateful for this forum and appreciate his contribution. May his soul rest in peace.

My condolences to his family.

Obviously I never met Nigel but grateful for what he achieved
regarding this forum.R.I.P. condolences to his family.

Very sad news. My condolences to his family.

Very sad news. May he rest in peace.

Sweet Kerry called day after Nigel passed. You may have read thru the lines of a few recent posts of mine. She asked me not to say anything on the site until she pulled things together a bit.

I called Nigel three-four times a month over the years and was planning a visit before my medical issues and the virus.

We shared ideological, musical and moral views and were lock-stepped in almost every area of thought and beliefs. Plus, we were two old bar "pickers" and "grinners".

I'm so very glad to have known He and sweet Kerry. She was his rock.

I'll talk to you, soon, honey.


Russ

Hi Eric. Remember the great time we had at Bebop's jam in San Jose. Nigel was such a friendly genuine guy and passed out Synthzone t-shirts. He also gave me a couple of guitar tips. Nigel will surely be missed.

Tom

Hi Tom,
You read my mind.
I was thinking about that too ...
Eric

My heart goes out to Kerry and family and all here at the forum and his friends. It is truely a very sad day indeed.




Allan

This is Kerry, {if I can ever work out how to register myself we will be half way there} Nigel’s wife. Nigel was the most sensitive, gentle, generous, brilliantly clever man, this past couple of years had presented some issues, the pandemic didn’t help and Namm 2021 cancelling was devastating for Nigel. 20 years ago he had a brain aneurysm and was not expected to live, let alone recover, but if you have ever dealt with brilliance and a brain injury its particularly difficult but somehow we managed another miracle 21 years! Unfortunately he believed he was losing his mind and he took his own life. Apart from his cocker spaniels Wally and Ollie, Synthzone was his baby, he saw a need for a resource, close to 28 years ago, for all electronic keyboards and set about building it. We have met so many wonderful people through the site and we know from the feedback that it’s still an invaluable resource the ease of finding what you are looking for is so user friendly and everything is archived. While it’s quite the learning curve for this computer illiterate I will endeavor to keep Synthzone going as Nigel’s legacy!

Sincerest condolences Kerry, Nigel will be greatly missed by you and the hundreds of his followers

As others have said, a terrible shock, and my thoughts are with all those close to Nigel.
He set up a wonderful facility for us all, and I am sure he will be missed.

Ray

😢

This was really a sad and completely unexpected message.
Got really shocked when I could read Kerry's message in 'The Bar' early this morning.
My warmest thoughts and condolences go to Kerry and the family.

I am very thankful for Nigel's great and good work creating this forum and for his fair and wise moderation of SZ through all this years.
He will be deeply missed. Rest in peace Nigel.

GJ

Kerry. Thank you for keeping us updated about Nigel.
My thoughts are with you and family.

Thinking of you...long time forum member from UK.

I liked and respected Nigel, he helped me make SZ my everyday home. I placed him high on my list of people who knew who understood more than myself. In my mind Nigel was going to be on SZ forever. When I turned SZ on, he would be there.

I was shocked when I read that he passed away, I will miss him.

My prayers to Kerry and family, John C.

RIP Nigel! Condolences to Kerry and family!

My deepest condolences. I highly appreciated Nigel‘s dedication to the forum and the attitude and open-mindedness that spoke out of his posts. I was shocked about the news and believe that he is not completely gone, his spirit is still there.

Kerry...Thank you for sharing with us. I send sincere condolences on his passing and wish you the VERY best. Participating in the Arranger Forum of Synthzone was a daily practice for me for years. I always respected the manner in which Nigel ran it.
Eddie Shoemaker

So sorry to hear the news. Blessings to Kerry and Nigel's loved ones. The SZ is a wonderful resource for folks to exchange thoughts and ideas, and to learn. He will be missed.

My deepest sympathy at his passing. Nigel was a great site owner, administrator, and musical friend. I too had somewhat drifted and it was my respect for Nigel that brought me back to the SZ. He will be sorely missed by his friends and family. I pray that Nigel is sitting first chair in the heavenly orchestra. Requiescat in pace.

Kerry, my deepest condolences. We had some differences in philosophy, but always remained friends. He did so much good for a lot of people, and this was tragic news for us all.

I will miss him also. He made this a keyboard players clubhouse. Lets just keep it going in his memory and legacy

MEL

Shocked and saddened to hear about Nigel's passing.

Kerry, I hope you find peace during this difficult time.

R.I.P. Nigel

I am so deeply sorry to hear this, it's heart-breaking, shocking and very sad. My thoughts are with you and your family Kerry xx

A great shock to me, and whilst the loss of a loved one is always a tragedy the circumstances here must make things even more difficult.

My thoughts and prayers go to Kerry and family, and I will certainly miss Nigel's hand on the forums tiller.

I am so shocked and upset at such a terrible loss.
Although I didn't know Nigel, I still felt as if he was a close friend.
My thought are with you and your family, including your dogs who have lost a large chunk out of their lives and I can't find the words to express my sympathy at your loss.
Tony (UK)

It is easier to disbelieve the news than to process it. I always felt Nigel was a kind and intelligent person; and SynthZone is a major community; I registered here when I was a kid myself and barely knew the language and being a grownup I appreciated it even more. It’s sad how every life ends; perhaps, there’s a greater meaning within, which we are not allowed to know for sure. I miss Nigel and thank him for everything.

He may have left us but he will never be forgotten.

R.I.P Nigel

Very sorry for your loss Kerry. We hope Nigel has found the peace and serenity we are all searching for. He found music during his lifetime, which I'm sure brought him comfort through the deepest darkest times.

Our condolences to you and your family Kerry.

I have known Nigel for nearly 2 decades, we talked on the phone several times, he was a class act. Though we disagreed on some subjects, we agreed on many others and always were courteous to each other. One of the high points in my life was when he sent me an award plaque from the Synthzone, which Don Mason and Russ Lay both were also part of issuing me this award. I am eternally grateful for his kindness and friendship over these many years and he will always remain in my memories.

Kerry and I have something in common as well - we both love sailing, though I am now too old to sail, thus cannot enjoy those wonderful days of sailing down Chesapeake Bay and the coastal waters of the Atlantic from Maryland to Florida. She is a wonderful person, and how I wish I could have met both Kerry and Nigel in person and take them sailing.

Gary

First, I want to express my condolences to Nigel's wife and family and my sincere sadness at Nigel's death. Along with Capt Russ, Nigel and I WERE philosophically (in the words of Capt Russ) "joined at the hip". In terms of social justice, fairness, empathy, and just basic morality, I have no doubt that time will show Nigel to be on the right side of history.

I stepped away from SZ so as not to be an excuse for people leaving the site. Nigel provided a site (The Bar) for no-holds-barred discussion that was SUPPOSED to be a safe haven for disparate points of view, but it seems even THAT was not enough to overcome the divisions that have currently overtaken the country.

Nigel spent a good chunk of his life building a premier site that many here enjoyed for years and years but in the end, in the words of Oscar Wilde, "No good deed goes unpunished". That's all I'll say about that. R.I.P. Nigel.

Your friend in spirit,

chas

Shocking news.. May Nigel`s soul rest in peace. Although I didn`t know him in person, the interactions here in Synthzone forums have always indicated him to be a wise, gentle, inclusive and kind person. He really loved his job, his guitars and keyboards and of course someone who really loved music a lot. Sincere condolences and prayers to Nigel`s family.

Terrible news, sorry to hear this. Condolences to family and friends!!!

I was very sorry to hear about this. I will miss my interaction with Nigel on SZ and facebook. My condolences.

though having been a member for nigh on 20 years I have not been very active here on the forum due to several circumstances.
My most sincere and heartfelt condolences to Kerry and those close to him for this tragic loss. I sincerely hope you will be able to continue his efforts overhere in memory of him.
warm regards from the Netherlands,

John Smies

To the family...Love this place that Nigel kept up & running. Has helped me so much in my development with the Arranger Keyboard as a Songwriting tool. Without lurking on this FORUM for 5-7 years before actually purchasing an Arranger, I would have never considered the purchase. It changed my career.

May his memory through this FORUM live on