Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Phil Spector

Role / Field:

Pioneering music producer known for 'Wall of Sound' and influential pop recordings.

Born:

1939-12-26

Died:

2021-01-16

Century / Era:

1939s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Harvey Phillip Spector (December 26, 1939 – January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter known primarily for his orchestral pop productions and recording technique, dubbed "the Wall of Sound", and decades later for his trials and imprisonment for murder. Considered the first music producer auteur, he is one of the most successful American producers of the 1960s and widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in pop music history. Born in the Bronx, Spector relocated to Los Angeles as a teenager and co-founded the Teddy Bears in 1958, writing their chart-topping single "To Know Him Is to Love Him". With Lester Sill, he co-established Philles Records in 1961, becoming the youngest U.S.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

label owner at the time, and exerted unprecedented artistic control over his recordings, typically working in collaboration with a rotation of songwriting teams, arranger Jack Nitzsche, and engineer Larry Levine. His studio band, later known as the Wrecking Crew, rose to industry prominence through his success with acts like the Crystals, Darlene Love, the Ronettes, and the Righteous Brothers. His second marriage, lasting 1968 to 1974, was to Ronettes singer Veronica Bennett...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ada Yonath — Contemporary (Born in 1939) (1939): Pioneering crystallographer known for elucidating the structure and function of the ribosome.
• Alexander Yegorov (general) — Contemporary (Died in 1939) (1939): Soviet military leader and one of the original Marshals of the Soviet Union.
• Alphonse Mucha — Contemporary (Died in 1939) (1939): Master of Art Nouveau, famed for decorative posters and The Slav Epic.
• Aaron Beck — Contemporary (Died in 2021) (2021): Father of Cognitive Therapy and CBT, revolutionizing psychiatric treatment.
• Abdul Qadeer Khan — Contemporary (Died in 2021) (2021): Pakistani nuclear physicist, known as the 'father of Pakistan's atomic weapons program'
• Abimael Guzmán — Contemporary (Died in 2021) (2021): Peruvian Maoist revolutionary leader, founder of the Shining Path.
• Alejo Carpentier — Shared historical date (12-26 · Born) (1904): Influential Cuban novelist, essayist, and musicologist of the Latin American Boom.
• Arthur Percival — Shared historical date (12-26 · Born) (1887): British Army officer, known for commanding forces during the Malayan Campaign and the fall of Singapore.
• A. J. Foyt — Shared historical date (01-16 · Born) (1935): Legendary American racing driver, known for winning the Indy 500 four times.
• Aaliyah — Shared historical date (01-16 · Born) (1979): Pioneering R&B artist known for redefining urban pop and hip hop sounds.
• 1939 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1939
• December 26 (12-26) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 26
• 2021 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2021
• January 16 (01-16) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 16

Frequently Asked Questions about Phil Spector