(December 24, 2025) He was one of the most prolific, consistently engaging music producers of the last four decades, bringing both the soul and the beat to dance music, and helping dozens of artists find their best sound. Today we say a sad goodbye to producer, composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, remixer, label owner and DJ Tom Glide.
Growing up in Paris, Glide taught himself guitar, keyboards, bass and drums, absorbing influences as wide-ranging as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, Quincy Jones and jazz legends alongside pop, reggae and electronic sounds. Early in his career he built a reputation not only as a producer but as a thoughtful arranger and melody-maker, capable of crafting deep grooves that feel both familiar and fresh.
His best-known project may be Tom Glide & The Luv All Stars, a collective that came to prominence with the 2010 album In the Name of Luv. Conceived with long-time collaborator Patrick Smadja, the record brought together veteran players associated with Earth, Wind & Fire and other soul luminaries to deliver a joyous mix of funk-soul dance tracks and torch ballads—highlighted by cuts like “Get It Off,” “Can U Feel It,” and the romantic “Love Is Coming Up.” This work showcased Glide’s ability to merge live instrumentation with modern production sensibilities, earning acclaim in soul circles for its authenticity and emotional resonance.
In the years since, Glide has continued releasing music that defies easy categorization. His ambitious 2017 collaborative project Divas Got Soul brought together a dozen vocalists including Tracy Hamlin, Candace Woodson, Nia Simmons, Hil St Soul, Kenya and Terisa Griffin, demonstrating his knack for tailoring production to the strengths of each singer and expanding his international soul footprint.
Glide kept inventing well into the 2020s, bringing his unique vision to both original songs and remixes. We most recently covered his collaboration with Terisa Griffin on the Sunshine Dub Rework of “I Feel The Love.” He was a blessing to the entire soul and dance music community and he will be greatly missed.
By Chris Rizik
