Derry Brownson, keyboardist and sampler for EMF, has died at 55.
Brownson was a founding member of the band that formed in Gloucestershire in 1989. EMF hit global fame with their 1991 debut album Schubert Dip, which included the No. 1 Billboard single “Unbelievable.” The band released two more albums in the 1990s, then took breaks and reunited several times. Their fourth album, Go Go Sapiens, arrived in 2022, and they released the EP Reach for Something Higher in 2025.
EMF shared that they were devastated by the loss. They said they were grateful Brownson had been able to join the band on stage a few times recently. “Nothing will ever be the same again without our band mate and friend,” they wrote.
Fans and fellow musicians will remember Brownson for his role in shaping EMF’s sound and for the band’s live energy over the years. Fly high, Derry.
