Boyd Jarvis

Boyd H. Jarvis (October 26, 1958 – February 17, 2018)[1] was an American record producer, remixer and musician, best known for his song, co-written with Jason Smith, "The Music Got Me"; released in 1983 by Prelude Records. He has collaborated with artists such as Herbie Hancock, La Toya Jackson and Johnny Kemp.[2]

Boyd Jarvis started his career as an intern for renowned professor of Anthropology Pearl Primus, training under Sandra Ross in theater lighting and set design. He went on to design lighting for shows in Lincoln center, Perry Street theater, and Riverside church theater.

In the early 1980s, a time in which New York City was the world's nexus of burgeoning musical movements such as underground club/post-disco, rap, hip hop and electro, Jarvis created a musical sound through the use of home made, reel to reel and hand-played sparse synthesizer and drum machine tracks, that were featured extensively as overdubs on early-mid 1980s New York WBLS FM “extended music sweeps” with DJs Timmy Regisford and later, Merlin Bobb. Those unreleased tracks, as well as records, were widely played in other parts of the world club scene, and in Chicago were the crucial element in the Chicago house music revolution that swept Europe in the mid-late 1980s. His influence was also felt in mainstream dance music when British producers, following a mid-1980s NYC visit and exposure to Jarvis vocalist Colonel Abrams, created similar records with Rick Astley, known for the hit “Never Gonna Give You Up”.

In 1990, Jarvis sued Robert Clivillés and David Cole of C+C Music Factory for copyright infringement over their song "Get Dumb", which illegally incorporates parts of "The Music Got Me".[3][4]

He resided in New Jersey with his wife and continued to write, record, and produce music under his label, CFX Records.