Twitch's Head of Music dies after being run over by garbage truck in Amsterdam

Tuesday, October 23, 2024 - Cindy Charles, Twitch’s Head of Music, has d!ed at age 69 following a traffic accident in Amsterdam.

The company's CEO, Daniel Clancy, confirmed the "truly tragic news" on X (formerly known as Twitter).

"Cindy was killed in a traffic accident when she was traveling in the Netherlands. Most of the members of the Twitch community are probably not familiar with Cindy's work, but she has been leading our team that manages our relationship with the music industry," Clancy wrote.

According to local outlets Het Parool, De Telegraaf and Algemeen Dagblad, Charles died on Monday, Oct. 14 after a collision with a garbage truck by the Passeerdersgracht canal.

The Het Parool reported she'd been in the city to speak on a panel at the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) on Thursday, Oct. 17.

In his tribute message, CEO Clancy spoke about Charles' "deep history in the music business," adding, "She has been critical in creating the strong relationships that we have today."

"Anyone that uses music on Twitch owes a debt of gratitude to Cindy's work. She always had a bright smile on her face even as she negotiated unprecedented music licensing agreements for Twitch including the recent DJ agreement," Clancy wrote.

According to Billboard, the deal was announced in June and saw Twitch sign music licensing agreements with Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, as well as multiple indie labels represented by Merlin.

Clancy continued, "Anyone that worked with Cindy knows how much she cared about everyone with whom she worked. I know everyone that has worked with her was shocked to hear the news. We will all dearly miss her and we are sorry to see her go. A little bit of her will remain with all of us that worked with her all of these years."

"I send my most heartfelt sympathy to her husband [Ricky Fishman] and her two sons," Clancy concluded.

Fishman was among those paying an emotional tribute on social media, writing on Facebook on Tuesday, Oct. 15 alongside multiple photos: "It is through tears that I want to let people know what many of you already do; that my wife, Cindy Charles, passed away yesterday in a traffic accident in Amsterdam."

"My family and I have been devastated by this loss," Fishman added, confirming he'd met his wife 50 years ago at SUNY Buffalo State University. He went to explain how they didn't date at the time, but reconnected 30 years later at a "friends reunion."

"There will be no filling the hole in the universe left by Cindy's departure from this world. She gave love and she received love, building a network of friends unrivaled by any person I have ever known. So many are grieving right now," Fishman wrote.

"She was at the top of her game, an icon in the music biz. She would joke about being the most immature 69 year old (I can finally let out her age that she tried to hide for so long:) with the energy of a teenager. She loved to travel and sadly, there are many trips we had planned, that will not happen. She will be missed deeply by friends and family, her beloved son Ben, my son Sam, and so many more," he continued.

"So hug those you hold closely, tell them that you love them... a lot. Life is such a fragile affair, and what we have today, we may not, tomorrow," he wrote, concluding, "[Cindy's] life was cut short, but it burned brightly as her memory surely will."

Twitch's Kira Karlstrom also paid tribute in a Medium article, which included: "Cindy was more than just Twitch’s Head of Music — she was the heart and soul of our team, and a force for good in everything she touched."