Best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship within the 1960s, followed years later by his trial and conviction for murder within the 2000s, Harvey Phillip Spector got his first hit song while still in high school with a gaggle called The Teddy Bears. Spector went on to write and produce multiple favorite songs within US and the United Kingdom, also developing the "Wall of Sound" technique. In 2009, Harvey Phillip Spector was convicted of the murder of Lana Clarkson an... moreBest known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship within the 1960s, followed years later by his trial and conviction for murder within the 2000s, Harvey Phillip Spector got his first hit song while still in high school with a gaggle called The Teddy Bears. Spector went on to write and produce multiple favorite songs within US and the United Kingdom, also developing the "Wall of Sound" technique. In 2009, Harvey Phillip Spector was convicted of the murder of Lana Clarkson and received a 19-year prison sentence.
Born within the Bronx, Harvey Phillip Spector began his career in 1958 as co-founder, guitarist, and vocalist of the Teddy Bears, penning their U.S. number-one single "To Know Him Is to like Him". In 1960, he co-founded Philles Records, and at the age of 21 became the youngest ever U.S. label owner. Throughout the 1960s, he wrote, co-wrote, or produced records for acts like The Ronettes, the Crystals, and Ike & Tina Turner. He collaborated with Jack Nitzsche, engineer Larry Levine, and a de facto house band that later became mentioned as "the Wrecking Crew". Harvey Phillip Spector's multi-artist compilation album A Christmas present for You from Philles Records (1963) is widely considered to be the best Christmas record of all time.
With the assistance of independent producers, Lester Sill and Lee Hazlewood, Harvey Phillip Spector worked with hit-makers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. He became a staff producer for Dune Records, where he produced a string of hits and became an industry sensation. In 1961, Harvey Phillip Spector and Still formed their label, Philles Records. The partners signed on the group The Crystals, whose first single, "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" made it to No. 20 on the Billboard chart. Their next release, "Uptown," hit No. 13.
By the age of 21, Harvey Phillip Spector was a millionaire who was liable for producing 20 consecutive smash hits. He began to work on his "Wall of Sound" technique in earnest. The "Wall" approach to production involved a process of overdubbing many musicians to make a full sound. The effect created a "roar," which Harvey Phillip Spector described because of the "Wagnerian approach to rock 'n' roll." This style served to make Harvey Phillip Spector even more famous within the music industry, and many iconic artists would begin imitating this technique in future years, including The Beach Boys and Bruce Springsteen. In 1969, Harvey Phillip Spector returned to figure after he was asked to supply Harrison and John Lennon's solo albums. After successful results, he was asked to point out a series of the Beatles' recording sessions into a marketable album. The resulting work, Let It Be, topped both the U.S. and U.K. charts and yielded the No. 1 single. For subsequent several years, Harvey Phillip Spector continued to supply successful solo albums for Lennon and Harrison. But because the 1970s progressed, Harvey Phillip Spector's behavior vacillated between bizarre and reclusive. After several months of tension between Harvey Phillip Spector and several other members of The Beatles, the 2 parted company.
Despite his bizarre behavior, Harvey Phillip Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. He went on to write and produce music until 2003 when he was arrested regarding the fatal shooting of actress Clarkson. After a panicked 911 call from Harvey Phillip Spector's driver, police discovered Clarkson's body at the producer's mansion in Alhambra, California. She had been shot dead, with a gunshot wound through the roof of her mouth. On November 20, 2003, Harvey Phillip Spector was indicted for Clarkson's murder. A year later, Harvey Phillip Spector was ordered to face trial. During the proceedings, Harvey Phillip Spector would reach court wearing various wigs which became a hot topic on internet blogs. The case itself came to a head-on on September 26, 2007, but jurors couldn't reach a particular verdict. The murder case was declared a mistrial. Proceedings for a murder retrial began in October 2008, and Harvey Phillip Spector was found guilty of second-degree murder in 2009. He was sentenced to 19 years in North Kern prison in California. He was also ordered to pay $17,000 to Donna Clarkson, Clarkson's mother, for funeral expenses. Throughout his incarceration, Spector has not been allowed to wear any kind of wig.
Harvey Phillip Spector gave up the ghost on January 16, 2021, from natural causes.
