Famed producer Phil Ramone, the producer behind legendary albums by Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Elton John and many more, has died. He was 72 years old.
His family did not release the cause of death, but his son confirmed that he passed away in New York Saturday.
Known for his ability in a range of genres, including rock, pop, jazz and soul, Ramone won 14 Grammy awards – including one for lifetime achievement.
Several records he produced went on to win album of the year Grammies, including Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years, Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company, and Joel's 52nd Street.
"I always thought of Phil Ramone as the most talented guy in my band," Joel said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. "So much of my music was shaped by him and brought to fruition by him. I have lost a dear friend - and my greatest mentor."
Ramone was also at the forefront of digital technology, with Joel's 52nd Street considered the first major release on CD. He also played a part in presidential politics, advising administrations on how to properly record news conferences and helping to arrange the 1962 party for John F. Kennedy where Marilyn Monroe famously sang "Happy Birthday" to the president.
His credits include some of modern music's most memorable albums, including Joel's The Stranger, Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years and the Bob Dylan/The Band concert album Before the Flood, as well as singles such as Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant," Streisand's "Evergreen," Judy Collins' "Send in the Clowns" and Stan Getz's and Astrud Gilberto's "The Girl from Ipanema."
On Saturday, tributes poured in from some of the world's biggest musicians, including k.d. lang, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Tony Bennett and many more as the news spread.
"Phil Ramone was a lovely person and a very gifted musician and producer," said Tony Bennett via his Facebook page. "It was a joy to have him work with me in the recording studio on so many projects as he had a wonderful sense of humor and a deep love of music. Phil had the admiration and respect from everyone in the entertainment industry and his passing is a great loss."
Here is more reaction from the music Twitterverse:
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