It is, of course, hard to separate Phil Spector, the murderer, from the tragedy that was his last thirty years. However, for me, he was one of the three greatest music producers of my generation (along with Brian Wilson and George Martin) and that’s how I choose to remember him on the day of his death at age 81.
The first album I ever purchased with my own money was the Phil Spector A Christmas Gift For You from 1963, and I still consider it one of the greatest pieces of vinyl ever produced.
His writing and producing credits stretch on and on; he worked with everyone from the Teddy Bears, the Crystals, the Ronettes, Ike & Tina Turner, the Righteous Brothers, the Beatles, Leonard Cohen, and the Ramones, often providing them with their biggest hits. He was the co-producer of John Lennon’s Imagine and Rock ‘n’ Roll albums, and produced the Beatles’ Let It Be.
It is reported that Spector has been unable to speak since about 2014. His life ended in sadness, but he gave so many of us so much joy before cracking up.
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