David Z (David Rivkin), Grammy-Winning Producer Behind the Minneapolis Sound, Dies at 78

David “Z” Rivkin, the Grammy-winning producer and engineer known for shaping the Minneapolis Sound, died at a hospital in Burbank, California, from complications of an infection. He was 78. The death was confirmed by his brother Bobby Z, former drummer for Prince & the Revolution, in an interview with the *Minneapolis Star-Tribune*.

Minneapolis Producer David Z Dead At 78

Rivkin began in the 1960s, playing guitar on local Minneapolis singles such as the Chancellors’ “Little Latin Lupe Lu.” After a stint as a staff songwriter at A&M Records in the early 1970s, he returned to Minneapolis in 1974, learned engineering, and became central to a scene that produced Prince, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and others. In 1976 he helped a teenage Prince record a demo at Sound 80 Studios; his engineering convinced Prince to sign with Warner Bros. in 1977. Over the next two decades Rivkin engineered and produced numerous Prince projects, including live recordings that formed part of *Purple Rain*.

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Beyond Prince, Rivkin contributed to the 1980 disco hit “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc., co-produced Fine Young Cannibals’ 1989 single “She Drives Me Crazy,” and produced Jody Watley’s 1987 hits “Looking for a New Love” and “Some Kind of Lover.” He also worked with Etta James, Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Al Green, and Angelique Kidjo.

Variety Magazine

• Age at death: 78.

Rolling Stone

• Grammy Awards: Two Grammys for producing Etta James, including a 2005 Grammy for *Blues to the Bone*.

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• Grammy Nominations: Record-of-the-Year nomination for co-producing “She Drives Me Crazy” (1990).

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• Chart achievements:

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• “Funkytown” – No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 (1980)

Billboard

• “She Drives Me Crazy” – No. 1 Hot 100 (1989)

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• “Looking for a New Love” – No. 2 Hot 100 (1987)

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• Career length: Active from the mid-1960s through the 2020s, spanning over five decades.

Variety Magazine

Bobby Z called his brother a “fearless innovator in the studio,” recalling David’s “unconventional approach to recording.” Owen Hussey, Rivkin’s former bandmate and Prince’s first manager, said Rivkin’s contributions were often unpublicized yet essential to the Minneapolis scene. In a mid-1980s interview with the *Star Tribune*, Rivkin described the Minneapolis Sound as “the sound of ignorance,” a product of an isolated creative atmosphere.

Rolling Stone

• “David was the secret ingredient on many, many musical projects,” — Owen Hussey

Variety Magazine

Rivkin’s technical expertise and genre-spanning collaborations helped define a regional style that achieved global recognition. By engineering Prince’s early demos and shaping hits for artists across funk, rock, blues, and pop, he created work that continues to influence contemporary producers. His Grammy-winning productions and chart-dominant singles demonstrate a rare ability to bridge underground innovation with mainstream success, leaving a lasting imprint on American popular music.

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