Nathan Staley

Nathan Elliot Staley

Nathan Elliot Staley died unexpectedly on July 14, 2026, at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. He was surrounded by his loving family and a few lifelong friends. Nathan was the beloved son of Lisa Orloff Staley of Nashville, Tennessee, and Gary Otis Staley (deceased).

Nathan was born on December 13, 1980, in Bennington, Vermont. He spent most of his life in La Cañada, California, before later making his home in Studio City.

He attended La Cañada Elementary School and graduated from La Cañada High School with the Class of 1999. He went on to study at Pinnacle College, where he graduated from the SoundMaster Recording & Engineering Program. His passion and talent eventually led him back to the college, where he taught in the Audio Engineering Department, inspiring the next generation of recording engineers.

Nathan’s life was music.

He was an audio engineer, producer, songwriter, prolific lyricist, singer, and multi-instrumentalist whose passion for music shaped every chapter of his life.

Nathan picked up a guitar at just six years old and never looked back. He couldn’t learn fast enough. Many nights he fell asleep with his guitar resting on his chest, eager to continue playing the moment he woke. He learned by watching his father, listening intently, and playing back everything he heard. For years, every Monday evening at 7:30, Nathan could be found at Grayson’s Tune Town in Montrose, California, taking guitar lessons from his favorite guitarist and earliest musical inspiration, Chet Thompson.

In eighth grade, Nathan formed his first band, The Squares, with his friend Erik (“Rik”) Kertes. Performing entirely original music at such a young age was remarkable. During the height of the ska movement, The Squares became a popular local act, even performing college mixers at Caltech in Pasadena. Because they were still so young, their parents had to accompany them to the performances.

By tenth grade, Nathan’s musicianship had grown, and so had his ambitions. He and Rik formed another band, Listen, joined by Rob Kolar and Keith Bates. Nathan approached music with incredible dedication. The band rehearsed several nights each week, both formally and informally, until every original song was exactly as they envisioned it. Listen performed nearly every weekend, developed a loyal regional following, and professionally recorded their music. Decades later, those recordings continue to be treasured by faithful fans.

In 2004, Nathan opened his own recording studio, NS Audio, first in North Hollywood and later in Burbank. As a gifted multi-instrumentalist, he often performed on the very records he engineered and produced. He had an intuitive approach to guitar, creating expressive, colorful leads while always serving the song above all else.

After graduating from audio engineering school, Nathan embraced every opportunity that came his way. His career carried him across the globe on 22 world tours, taking him throughout Europe, Russia, Japan, England, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Australia, South America, Canada, and across the United States.

Throughout his career, Nathan worked on countless recording and live performance projects while generously donating his time and talents to MusiCares and numerous fundraising events. He was honored to serve as one of two recording engineers for The Artists Den series, recording performances by artists including Jason Mraz, Mumford & Sons, Cage the Elephant, Imagine Dragons, and many others. He also served as front-of-house engineer for The Offspring, Goo Goo Dolls, and Lukas Nelson, among others, and in his early touring years traveled with John Fogerty as his drum technician.

Those who knew Nathan remember far more than his musical accomplishments. They remember a man who was deeply creative, kind, compassionate, generous, and fiercely loyal. He was the friend people turned to for understanding, wisdom, and honest conversation. He possessed an uncanny intuition and a remarkable memory, recalling phone numbers, addresses, and account numbers decades after hearing them only once.

Nathan also had an extraordinary sense of humor. His quick wit, impeccable timing, and keen eye for life’s subtle moments made him endlessly entertaining. He loved people-watching and had an exceptional ear for voices and accents. His near-perfect pitch allowed him to imitate many characters with astonishing accuracy. Whether it was Cartman and Chef from South Park, Hank Hill, Beavis and Butt-Head, Marge Simpson, or countless others, Nathan could become the character so completely that entire conversations would unfold in that voice, leaving everyone around him laughing.

Nathan’s faith and spirituality guided his life. He believed deeply in serving others and quietly lived out that belief through countless acts of kindness. He gave generously to those in need, shared meals with people experiencing homelessness, prepared food for others during Thanksgiving and Christmas, and freely gave away clothing, coats, and whatever he had to help someone else.

Though his life was far too short, Nathan leaves behind a legacy of extraordinary music, unwavering generosity, infectious laughter, and a heart that touched countless lives. His recordings will continue to be heard, but even more enduring will be the memories held by those fortunate enough to know and love him.

Nathan is survived by his mother, Lisa Orloff Staley; his sister, Jamal Staley-Brown; his brothers, Christian Vertucci (Corey) and Justin Staley; his nieces, Elliott and Harper Brown and Emerson Vertucci; his longtime friend and unofficial stepfather, Chuck Kavooras; many aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Gary Otis Staley; maternal grandmother Elizabeth Semione Grich (Betty); maternal grandfather John C. Orloff; Paternal Grandmother Evelyn Eaton Staley; brother-in-law Corey L. Brown.

Through the grace of God, may Nathan’s kindness, selflessness, compassion, and the suffering he endured in his final days be met with infinite mercy and eternal peace.

Nathan, your music will continue to play, your laughter will continue to echo in our hearts, and your love will never be forgotten.

We love you. We miss you.

Rest in peace, Nathan.

Nathan was laid to rest on July 23, 2026 at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery.