Famed Music Producer Phil Spector Dead at 81
Righteous Brothers, John Lennon producer was in jail serving a life sentence for murder.
Phil Spector Mug Shot
Phil Spector the famous, or infamous depending on your point of view, music industry titan has died while in prison at the age of 81. The cause of death has yet to be revealed.
The Jewish former music mogul was convicted of murder in the second degree of the actress Lana Clarkson. He was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison in the State of California and was serving his sentence at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton, California at the time of his death.
A statement from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation read simply, “Phillip Spector, 80, was pronounced deceased of natural causes at 6:35 p.m. on Saturday, January 16, 2021, at an outside hospital. His official cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner in the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office.”
Mr. Spector had reportedly been recently hospitalized due to complications from the Coronavirus.
Lana Clarkson was murdered at Phil Spector’s Los Angeles mansion in 2003. At the time of her death, Spector was quoted as saying, “I think I just shot her.” But he later changed his story saying that she “kissed the gun” in some sort of accidental suicide. Spector tried twice for her murder. His first trial ended in September 2007 with a hung jury.
The murder stained what would have been a historic life. Phil Spector was involved in the production of countless now-classic songs like “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin,’” “River Deep, Mountain High” and even the Beatles most loved song ‘Let It Be.” He also produced their songs “The Long and Winding Road” and “Get Back.”
Over a more than five-decade career he worked with acts like the Righteous Brothers, John Lennon on his classic “Imagine,” as well as “Instant Karma,” Ike & Tina Turner, The Ronettes and The Crystals.
Phil Spector even continued to work during the period of his two murder trials. He produced the song “B Boy Baby” by Mutya Buena and Amy Winehouse which was released just after his first trial.
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