It is with great sadness that we announce that our friend and colleague, Steve Lincoln Smith passed away on September 8 with his wife Julie by his side. He was 60 years old.

While his industry friends and colleagues knew he was crook, his passing has come as a surprise to many, and we offer our heartfelt  condolences to Julie and the family as well as his large circle of friends and admirers.

It was only in May that Steve was added to the AMA’s Honour Roll for his outstanding and long service to the music products industry.

Steve commenced employment in the music products industry at aged 17, retiring at 60 years of age. Over those 43 years he worked for Rose Music, Yamaha Australia, Yamaha Japan, Innovative Music, in Retail, Wholesale, as Importer, Sub-contractor, performed as Product Demonstrator, Product Specialist, International, Domestic, NAMM presenter, Session Musician, Producer, Music Director, Performer, Touring Artist, Jingle Writer,.

Steve was considered an innovator, and a champion of music technology in Australia.

Steve was a classically trained pianist with an appreciation of the full orchestral landscape including a keen knowledge of string arranging. His first temptation away from the classical world was for the sounds and texture of the Hammond Organ in combination with the Leslie Speaker but it was synthesisers with their many varied sounds and unlimited possibilities that changed his musical direction.

Steve described himself as really a “classical musician with a decided bent toward Rock, Soul, Jazz and Funk”.  It was this passion for using new musical tools that has allowed Steve the freedom to create works in almost any style. His knowledge and deep understanding of the technology behind the music is also key to his ability to shine above other players.

At one point in his musical career Steve was a sought after session musician working in the studio on major releases, some of the more well-known artists included John Farnham, The Little River Band, David Hirschfelder, Kids in the Kitchen, Dear Enemy, Alias Smith and Jones and James Morrison.

For many years Steve has been the Musical Director of a well-known Melbourne Advertising and Jingle production house while also building up a large music technology company, Innovative Music. With his wife and partner Julie they forged new paths for the industry and encouraged new genres of music to flourish in Australia.

Our music industry will be the poorer without him. As colleague and friend Tony Burn said today “A great man, musician and corporate citizen. A huge loss to the industry, let alone family and friends”.

Steve Receives his AMA Honour Roll Award in May 2019

A Memorial will be held from 2pm-5pm, Friday, September 20, at Leonda, 2 Wallen Road, Hawthorn VIC 3122.