NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

The Simpsons long-running music editor Chris Ledesma dead at 64

NZ Herald
4 Jan, 2023 07:40 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Music editor Chris Ledesma, depicted second from left, worked on the show since it began in 1989. Image / Twitter

Music editor Chris Ledesma, depicted second from left, worked on the show since it began in 1989. Image / Twitter

The Simpsons has farewelled one of it’s legendary crew members, Chris Ledesma, who was the show’s music editor for 33 years.

In a fitting tribute, the show’s latest episode included an animated version of Ledesma holding a conductor’s baton and sitting on the show’s famous couch alongside Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie.

An end title card read, “In loving memory of Chris Ledesma.”

The Simpsons' music editor Chris Ledesma has died, aged 64. Photo / Twitter
The Simpsons' music editor Chris Ledesma has died, aged 64. Photo / Twitter

According to the New York Post, Ledesma worked on every episode of the show from its inception in 1989 until May 2022 when he had to step down from his role due to his failing health.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In 2021 he shared that he had worked on the show for half of his life.

Today is a significant milestone for me.

I am 23,242 days old
I have worked on The Simpsons for 11,621 days
Born 1/28/1958
First day on #TheSimpsons 11/22/1989

Not many can say they have worked at ANY job any more for LITERALLY half their lives.

#Grateful #Blessed

— Chris Ledesma (@mxedtr) September 16, 2021

While Ledesma’s cause of death has not been revealed to media, his Simpsons colleagues have shared their tributes for the California local.

Writer Carolyn Omine tweeted: “Chris Ledesma was a sweet man who loved his job and was really, really good at it. We miss him.”

And Al Jean, one of the first members of the original writing staff, tweeted: “A wonderful, hardworking, very talented man who will be missed by all he knew.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

.@TheSimpsons A wonderful, hard working, very talented man who will be missed by all he knew. pic.twitter.com/pFR1dMHeQ8

— Al Jean (@AlJean) January 2, 2023

The show’s executive producer and showrunner, Matt Selman, remembered Ledesma as “... a sweet, goofy guy with a giant heart – his amazing musical life is played out over 33 years of @TheSimpsons,”

And new music editor for the show, Jake Schaefer, said: “Chris Ledesma’s passion for music and for @TheSimpsons was an inspiration. I’m grateful for the time I got to spend with him this year. He was a great mentor and a genuine person. My heart goes out to his family. Rest In Peace Chris.”

Animator Matthew Schofield said he was “shocked and saddened to learn of Chris Ledesma’s recent passing. He very kindly arranged for me to sit in on the scoring session for my episode ‘Black Eyed, Please’ (he’s in the red shirt, that’s me on the right). A wonderful guy who genuinely loved his job. RIP Chris.”

I was shocked and saddened to learn of Chris Ledesma's recent passing. He very kindly arranged for me to sit in on the scoring session for my episode "Black Eyed, Please" (he's in the red shirt, that's me on the right). A wonderful guy who genuinely loved his job. RIP Chris. pic.twitter.com/ojFnNjftzG

— Matthew Schofield (@Mr_Schofield) January 3, 2023

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ledesma said of his role on The Simpsons: “The most rewarding part of the job for me is that I have been able to support and care for my family, and I work with genuinely nice people on a show that makes other people happy.”

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Premium
Entertainment

The best movies of 2025, so far

06 Jun 10:00 PM
Entertainment

Exclusive look: Chicago the Musical's glitzy NZ tour preparations

06 Jun 05:00 PM
Entertainment

Neil Finn backs plan for revamped Western Springs concert venue

06 Jun 07:00 AM

Why wallpaper works wonders

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

Premium
The best movies of 2025, so far

The best movies of 2025, so far

06 Jun 10:00 PM

New York Times: Ten films to add to your watch list.

Exclusive look: Chicago the Musical's glitzy NZ tour preparations

Exclusive look: Chicago the Musical's glitzy NZ tour preparations

06 Jun 05:00 PM
Neil Finn backs plan for revamped Western Springs concert venue

Neil Finn backs plan for revamped Western Springs concert venue

06 Jun 07:00 AM
Terri Irwin warns crocodile-culling bill will increase risk to humans

Terri Irwin warns crocodile-culling bill will increase risk to humans

06 Jun 01:04 AM
BV or thrush? Know the difference
sponsored

BV or thrush? Know the difference

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search