Musician and ERR lighting technician Tauno Pääslane dies at 52

Musician and longtime Estonian Public Broadcasting lighting technician Tauno Pääslane died on Wednesday aged 52, ERR reported. He was born on August 3, 1974.

Pääslane was a founding member and bassist of the band Dallas. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the group took its music to the international stage, touring Canada and the United States. He later played in the bands Stella and Köök.

Despite his own musical success, Pääslane consistently supported young musicians by offering advice and encouragement. Photography was another major passion, pursued both professionally and as a hobby.

He worked as a lighting technician at Estonian Television for nearly 20 years.

Friends and colleagues remembered Pääslane as a passionate and thorough professional who devoted himself completely to his work. They said he had an excellent ear, a strong musical sensibility and a remarkable sense of humour.

“You were an artist, a creator, whether visually or musically. Not a soloist, but a bassist. The bass keeps the rhythm, sets the tempo and the mood,” Elo Selirand said on behalf of ERR colleagues. “Your live broadcasts did not simply go on air; their lighting was ready. For everyone else. You, of course, always had something to adjust. That was your style.”

Estonian Public Broadcasting expressed its condolences to Pääslane’s family and loved ones.