Idolator

Larry Levine, Phil Spector's longtime engineer, died on his 80th birthday Thursday, according to a statement released by his family. Levine's first collaboration with Spector was on the Crystals' "She's A Rebel," and the two worked together on hits by the Righteous Brothers, Darlene Love, and Ike & Tina Turner. (He was there for those Leonard Cohen and Ramones albums, too.) Outside of Phil's reach, Levine won a Grammy for his work with Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, and he had his fingers in several Eddie Cochran hits and the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds as well. Levine's primary responsibility with Spector was to indulge the producer's need for size and grandeur without letting the track collapse. Needless to say, he pulled it off more than a couple times. More »