Phil Spector, one of the most influential and successful record producers in rock & roll history, died Saturday (January 16th) due COVID-19 complications. He was 81.
Known as much for his iconic “wall of sound” music production techniques as he was for murdering Lana Clarkson, a nightclub hostess whom he had taken to his home after a night of drinking in 2003, the Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee ended a spectacular career on a sour note.
Spector’s 13 Top 10 singles included some of the quintessential “girl group” songs of his era including “He’s a Rebel,” “Uptown,” “Then He Kissed Me” and “Da Doo Ron Ron” by the Crystals, as well as “Be My Baby” and “Walking in the Rain” by The Ronettes. He produced the Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody” and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” a #1 hit that became the 20th century’s most-played BMI published song on radio and television.
According to fellow artists, “He was everything,” Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys told an interviewer for the British documentary “Endless Harmony: The Beach Boys Story.” He called Mr. Spector “the biggest inspiration in my entire life.” To John Lennon, he was “the greatest record producer ever.” per his work on The Beatles “Let It Be” album as well as several solo albums for Lennon and George Harrison.
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Photo: Crazy_Zou