Cevin Fisher, The Freaks Come Out Producer, Dies at 63

House music has lost one of its great party-starters. Cevin Fisher, the New Jersey DJ and producer behind "The Freaks Come Out" and "(You Got Me) Burnin' Up," has died at 63.

His family said he passed away peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 29, after a brief battle with cancer, DJ Mag reports. Their statement called him an "internationally acclaimed DJ" who leaves behind "four decades of music, a global following, and an enduring legacy in house music."

From his dad's bar to Club Zanzibar

Fisher was born in East Orange, New Jersey, and started DJing in his father's bar. At 17 he landed his first residency at the legendary Club Zanzibar, the same club that helped launch Kerri Chandler and Tony Humphries.

He then moved to New York and worked as an engineer at Arthur Baker's Shakedown Studio and with Motown. In that era he remixed records by Chaka Khan and Quincy Jones, including "I'll Be Good to You," which hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Dance Chart.

A conversation with one of his heroes, Danny Tenaglia, pushed him to start producing his own records. Soon he was releasing on Nite Grooves, Groovilicious, Subversive and Tommy Boy.

The freaks come out

The breakthrough came near the end of the '90s. "The Freaks Come Out," released under his Big Freak alias, became one of the defining club records of its time. He followed it in 1999 with "(You Got Me) Burnin' Up," built on the voice of disco great Loleatta Holloway. Both singles crossed over into the UK charts.

He never slowed down. Over the next decades he worked with D. Ramirez, Prok & Fitch, David Morales, Jack Back, Layo & Bushwacka and Seamus Haji, on labels including Strictly Rhythm, Toolroom, Nervous, Big Love and Glasgow Underground. Recent records included "Move That Body" with Tenaglia, plus "Feeling All The Pressure" and "Everyday" on Jack Said What.

The scene remembers

Tributes poured in from across house music. Louie Vega wrote: "My deepest condolences to the family and friends of Cevin. We will miss him, so kind, humble and super talented. We love you Cevin. Rest in peace."

Ultra Naté sent condolences to his family and friends: "May God give you all comfort at this time. Rest easy my friend." Toolroom founder Mark Knight called him "one of the nicest, most genuine people I have ever met."

His family remembered the man behind the music, too: "Beyond his professional achievements, Kevin was known among family and friends for his kindness, infectious sense of humour, and warm personality. He loved making people laugh and brought the same energy and enthusiasm to his personal life that characterised his music."

Cevin Fisher in the library

His recent work is a good place to start:

• DJ Chus & Cevin Fisher – Everytime I Try (Extended Mix) · Apple Music. The remix package also has versions by Viot, Audio Junkies, Jhony Diniz and Wheats.
• The Deepshakerz & Cevin Fisher – The Message · Apple Music
• Layton Giordani – Power (feat. Avision, Cevin Fisher), from Giordani's album New Generation · Apple Music

Why it matters

Fisher came up at Zanzibar and built a global following over four decades. His biggest record is still being reworked more than 25 years on: Defected's Faith Recordings put out a Tedd Patterson remix of "The Freaks Come Out" in 2025. One small note from today's charts: Ultra Naté, one of the voices paying tribute, sits at No. 1 on our Afro House chart this morning with HUGEL and Imael Angel on "Movin' To The Sun".

Know a Cevin Fisher track or edit we're missing? Search ID Library, submit it or see what's moving on today's charts.

Links go to official pages and sources.