# Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May Honor Belleville Three ‘Brother’ Juan Atkins

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/kevin-saunderson-and-derrick-may-honor-belleville-three-brother-juan-atkins/
- Published: 2026-11-02T16:43:53+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-02T19:03:17+00:00
- Original publisher: Rolling Stone
- Original article: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/juan-atkins-tribute-derrick-may-kevin-saunderson-techno-1235651287/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Juan Atkins died aged 64.
- Saunderson and May remembered their fellow techno pioneer.
- No official cause of death has been announced.

## Summary

Detroit techno pioneers Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May have paid tribute to Juan Atkins, their friend and fellow member of the Belleville Three, after his death aged 64. Their recollections underline Atkins’ influence on the development of Detroit techno and on the musicians who followed.

Atkins was found unresponsive in a Mexico City hotel room on 31 October, before a scheduled performance, and was declared dead in hospital. No official cause has been announced; the Detroit Free Press reported that he had faced diabetes-related health problems in recent years. Saunderson recalled Atkins helping him finish his first record, “Triangle of Love”, while May urged people to respect Atkins’ legacy and work.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.