Robin Kaye obit

‘American Idol’ Music Supervisor & Husband Found Shot To Death In Their Los Angeles Home

 

She was not on the list.

Robin Kaye, a longtime music supervisor with American Idol, and her husband, Thomas Deluca, were found shot to death Monday in their home in the Encino area of Los Angeles, Deadline has confirmed. Both were 70.

Los Angeles police told Deadline that officers were called to the home on White Oak Place at about 2:30 p.m. Monday on a welfare check after the couple had not been seen for several days. Officers found the couple with fatal gunshot wounds to the head, and they were pronounced dead at the scene.

“We are devastated to hear of Robin and her dear husband, Tom’s, passing,” an American Idol spokesperson said in a statement to Deadline. “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her. Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”

No motive has been determined, an LAPD spokesperson said. Detectives from the LAPD’s Valley Bureau Homicide Division are investigating the deaths. (Update: Police said later Monday that they had arrested a suspect.)

According to her IMDb page, Kaye had worked on 288 episodes of American Idol as music supervisor from 2002-23. Her other television credits as Music Supervisor included the NAACP Image Awards, Miss USA, Miss Universe, Lip Sync Battle, Hollywood Game Night, Q’Viva, The Dance Scene, Dance Your Ass Off, Your Chance to Dance, Adventures of Power and Crashed, among many others.

She appeared in a 2019 episode of The Pop Disciple Podcast. According to her bio on the website, Kaye began her career working for Waylon Jennings in Nashville, eventually joining MTM Records as VP Artist Development. After two years as an artist manager at Sound Management in Chicago, she moved to Los Angeles and, following a brief stint in music publishing, joined the Film & TV Licensing department at Universal Records. From there she went on to PolyGram Records, where she ran the combined Film & TV Division until its sale to Universal. In 2000, she launched her own company SyncroniCity, initially representing labels and artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Kenny Loggins, Lang Lang, Donnie Osmond and Steven Bishop. The company then segued to focusing strictly on music supervision for music intensive shows, such as American Idol.

She also served as Vice President of the Guild of Music Supervisors.

Phil Gurin, President and CEO of The Gurin Company and an EP on many TV shows, worked closely with Kaye for many years. “I am just devastated by this awful news. Robin was simply the best,” he said in a statement to Deadline today. “For more than 20 years she worked on every series and special and live event I ever did. The news about her and her husband is simply tragic beyond words. May their memories be for a blessing. Just so angry and numb. She was part of our work family and everyone she collaborated with will miss her. … She was a most trusted, valued and important part of our team – able to get the most amazing deals for us, overcoming the most incredible obstacles and always with a positive attitude and infectious spirit. The entire community has lost a wonderful person.”

TMZ first reported news of Kaye and Deluca’s deaths.