Jon Blistein
Contact Jon Blistein by Email View all posts by Jon Blistein November 2, 2026 Add us as a Google Preferred Source
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Juan Atkins performing in 2017 Michael Tullberg/Getty Images Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May shared tributes to their friend, collaborator, and fellow techno pioneer Juan Atkins, who died over the weekend at the age of 64.
“Juan was the originator of Techno, a true visionary who opened the door for so many of us, myself included,” Saunderson wrote on Instagram. “I’ll never forget how he showed me how to finish my first record, Triangle of Love. That meant a lot to me then, and it still does today.”
Atkins, Saunderson, and May are widely credited as the architects of Detroit techno, fusing elements of early Chicago house with the electronic music being made by groups like Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra. The trio met as teenagers in Belleville, Michigan, outside of Detroit, eventually earning the honorific, the “Belleville Three.”
“We shared a journey that changed music forever, and I’ll always be grateful for his friendship, guidance and everything he gave to our scene,” Saunderson continued. “My heart goes out to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace, Juan.”
