Here's an obituary posted on social media:
I have sad news to share. Dave Gold of Gold Star Studios has passed away at 98 years old.
I first met Dave when I began work on The Wrecking Crew documentary in 1996. It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that when I met him, he was only 68 — just a few years older than I am now.
Growing up, I would hear the names of the places my father, Tommy, was heading off to work. Most often in the 1960s, it was Gold Star. To me, it was just a place where my dad worked. It wasn’t until many years later that I truly understood what that name meant — that it was Gold Star, named after Dave Gold and Stan Ross.
Dave was a genius with electronics, but he did his work quietly, behind the scenes, always with humility and an enormous heart. When I finally got to know him, I discovered he was one of the kindest people you could ever meet.
He always asked about my daughter, Isabella. She met him at his house when she was about six years old, where he showed her his microphones and even took photos of her pretending to sing. That was Dave — generous with his time, his knowledge, and his warmth. He will be deeply missed.
Gold Star Studios was an independent recording studio in Hollywood, California, founded in October 1950 by engineers David Gold and Stan Ross at 6252 Santa Monica Boulevard. It became a pivotal hub for innovative rock, pop, and rhythm-and-blues recordings until its closure in 1984, shortly before the building was destroyed by fire in March of that year.
In its early years, Gold Star Studios distinguished itself through custom-built recording equipment and echo chambers designed by founder Dave Gold. These innovations produced a warm, emotional sound that set the studio apart from the more clinical commercial facilities of the time.
Gold Star reached its peak during the 1960s, hosting some of the most influential producers and artists in popular music. Phil Spector developed his revolutionary Wall of Sound there, layering dense arrangements of instruments and vocals for iconic recordings by the Ronettes (“Be My Baby”), the Crystals (“Da Doo Ron Ron”), and the Righteous Brothers (“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”).
Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys also worked extensively at Gold Star, most notably on the groundbreaking 1966 album Pet Sounds. The studio’s echo chambers and inventive engineering enabled Wilson to pioneer techniques such as phasing and automatic double-tracking, reshaping the possibilities of studio production.
Other legendary artists recorded at Gold Star as well, including Ritchie Valens (“Donna”), Eddie Cochran (“Summertime Blues”), Sonny & Cher, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, and the Turtles. The studio also became closely associated with ABC-TV’s influential 1960s rock show Shindig!, further cementing its cultural impact. Many recordings made there have since been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Although the original site was later redeveloped into a strip mall, Gold Star Studios’ legacy endures. Its innovations helped establish the recording studio itself as an instrument, a concept that continues to shape modern music production.
The next time you hear of of those songs on the radio or in a movie, think about Dave who helped create that sound. I realized that ‘The 68th Annual Grammy Awards’ is on Sunday. Imagine how much of the music over the last 68 years may have been influenced by the recordings that came out of Gold Star.
