Minneapolis Producer David Z Dead At 78

David Z, the Minneapolis musician and producer who collaborated closely with Prince, has passed away at the age of 78. Born David Rivkin, he was found deceased in a Burbank, California hospital on Sunday after battling complications from an infection. According to his brother Bobby Z, David was a former drummer in Prince's band, the Revolution.

Rivkin's musical career began in Minneapolis, where he played guitar with groups such as the Chancellors and the High Spirits during the 1960s. He later transitioned to A&M, working as a staff songwriter and collaborating with artists like Gram Parsons. In the 1970s, he played on records for musicians such as Billy Preston.

In 1976, David Z played a pivotal role in Prince's career, assisting him in recording a demo that secured his contract with Warner Bros. Following that, he took on engineering duties for several Prince albums, as well as contributing to the 1986 hit album Kiss. Additionally, he provided instrumentals for the same album and helped arrange its track.

Rivkin also briefly served as a guitarist for Lipps Inc., the Minneapolis disco group responsible for the 1980 hit Funkytown. He worked with Prince-affiliated Minneapolis artists, including Mazarati and the Family, and contributed to the production of hits like Fine Young Cannibals' She Drives Me Crazy and Jody Watley's Looking For A New Love. He also worked on recordings from legendary musicians such as Buddy Guy and Etta James.