Kevin was a powerhouse in the synthesizer community. I had seen his name numerous times over the years as just about any picture of a synthesizer one can find has “image courtesy of Kevin Lightner” attached to it. I was pleasantly surprised to find he was easily approachable and generous with his depth and breadth of knowledge.
He was far too young to have gone through the things he did and instances like his illustrate why we need more affordable health care in this country.
Deepest condolences to Monica and Kevin’s family and friends.
I met Kevin back in 2000 when I went to my first NAMM show. We both had a mutual admiration for each other’s technical knowledge of analog synths. That was a fun day, sharing battle stories.
My first encounter with a Moog modular was through Kevin. I didn’t learn until late in the game that I lived within an hour of the birthplace of those things so I had never seen any moog modular until then. He had a System 55 in his place for restoration. What a rush it was playing that thing!
At the NAMM show, Kevin dragged me from the Audities display to the Technosaurus booth for my “initiation”. Upon my arrival, the big modular was completely cleared of patchcords and I was invited (being kind here ) to patch up. I quickly patched up the “acid test” of analog synth sound design - a choir patch. That earned me my membership card. While checking out the NAMM floor, we happened upon a clonewheel organ hooked up to a Motion Sound rotating speaker and I started playing the organ finger-twisting intro to Boston’s “Foreplay” to which Kevin quickly doubled with me. A crowd had gathered there to watch the entertainment.
When I first became a netizen back in 1998 Kevin was a constant presence on Analogue Heaven, one of the early gatherings of analogue synth enthusiasts when the analog revival was gaining traction. It was a world where most techs had long abandoned the trade of analog synth repair and info was scattered and hard to come by, and Kevin shared a lot on that forum. His words will always be there after he is gone.
We are better today while Kevin was part of this world with us, for today we have a renaissance of analog synthesizers thanks to people like Kevin. I’m not just talking the repair/restoration work that Kevin had accomplished. I’m also talking the intricate technical details he shared that was not in service manuals. He had a hand in the development of the Andromeda and the Voyager. Kevin was one of a handful of people who could restore the eclectic and bizarre Buchla modulars, and had it not been for his handiwork keeping the interest alive in Buchla modular Don Buchla might not had been inspired to develop his 200e modular systems. Kevin’s library of schematics, service manuals, and personal notes were generously scanned (no small effort, I promise you) and placed on his website to be shared to all. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch that many modern clones of famous analog circuits were a product of his shared library.
I had known other more knowledgeable synth techs who have passed before Kevin, but none put their library and personal knowledge on the internet to the extent that Kevin did. Looking back, I feel like I have lost a twin brother separated at birth. He will be greatly missed.
I did not know Kevin personally, but I became aware of him and his wisdom through this site. Several years ago, when I had occasion to ask a question about some restoration work on my Multimoogs, he was very helpful in hooking me up with the Teflon tape that I needed. I was very grateful for his help. When he broke the news that he was suffering, I had considerable empathy, as I had a brother who was also suffering at the same time. I have been thinking about Mr. Lightner a fair bit today as I clean my studio/office space. It’s strange - a short while ago I reached into the back of a shelf that I’m cleaning and found a box of the tape that Kevin and his wife sent to me. I have the feeling that I am going to be thinking more about him every time that I fire up the Moog. My heartfelt condolences go to Kevin’s family.
Kevin was a great person that spread his knowledge all around asking for nothing in return…
for example, he had helped me a lot with my custom synth design dissertation, giving advice and suggestions, without even having meet me ever in person!!! we had interaction only via mails and via this forum!!!
also, in the dawn of internet - early 2000’s, his pages and the info he shared, were a real eye-opener for vintage synth technology and stuff - it’s like the end of an era…
may mother universe rest in peace his good soul - my condolences and courage wishes to his wife …
A sad day for the entire synth community, we lost a great one.
Rest in Peace Kevin. My condolences to his friends and family.
Kevin touched all our lives in so many ways, and will be sorely missed by all of us. All of Kevin’s contributions, insights, and work has been greatly appreciated, and really made a difference here on the Moog forum. Thanks Kevin! Godspeed my friend.
I never had the honour of meeting or speaking with Kevin, but his reputation as a great tech and great person are boundless. Although the world is poorer without him, he will live on through his wise words and advice, as well as through the many great instruments he serviced and brought back to life.
Thank you Sir ! My sincere condolences to your loved ones.
I am a good friend of the Lightners, so I will continue to update everyone here with information as it becomes available. This is a very hard time for all of us, especially Monica. I only wish I could have met Kevin in person. His legacy will continue to live on, though he was humble enough to not believe that his existence made a difference in the world, contrary to my beliefs. Monica is keeping Kevin’s e-mail address live, so if anyone wants to message her, you can contact her that way.
Friends here have been calling each other this week, sharing stories and memories of him. It’s hard to believe he’s not around, out just somewhere. I did visit a few times this year and it was getting more and more final - hope was just not a word anyone could use. Then the last we communicated was some weird stuff, very angry and hurtful, despite years of friendship. However, as all his friends knew, he had hot/cold situations with many people, and that situation could change like a switch, it was part of the territory. He was generous to friends (and those he didn’t know) and held anger for those he felt transgressed; it’s just the way he was. I hope he felt the friendship of many, he ought to have, even when it’s not always right there to see/feel. Peace, at last, that’s the only silver lining I can find… Many people asked if there will be services/a memorial; I hope so, he would have a GOOD turnout, which might have made him smile.
Monica told me during a phone call that there would not be a memorial service. She didn’t want there to be a bunch of people standing around talking about synthesizers, which makes sense, actually. Everyone who knew Kevin for any length of time knows how humble he was, almost to a fault. The world lost a great person, not just a fantastic synth technician, which, unfortunately, is what many people will remember him as. Yes, he was very good at what he did, but that’s not who he was. That was just the tip of the legacy he left behind.
) to patch up. I quickly patched up the “acid test” of analog synth sound design - a choir patch. That earned me my membership card. While checking out the NAMM floor, we happened upon a clonewheel organ hooked up to a Motion Sound rotating speaker and I started playing the organ finger-twisting intro to Boston’s “Foreplay” to which Kevin quickly doubled with me. A crowd had gathered there to watch the entertainment.
