Music producer and convicted murderer Phil Spector dead at 81 Phil Spector, who rose to worldwide fame in the 1960s as the music producer who created what's known as the "Wall of Sound," has died in prison after being convicted of the murder of actress Lana Clarkson. Jamie Yuccas reports.
cbsnews.comThis Nov. 19, 2019 booking photo provided by the California Department of Corrections shows Phil Spector. Spector, the eccentric and revolutionary music producer who transformed rock music with his "Wall of Sound" method and who later was convicted of murder, died Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021. But while Spector made his mark as a revolutionary music producer, the stories of him waving guns at recording artists and being convicted of murder overshadowed his artistry. The reaction to Spector’s death resurrected some mixed feelings about his life and legacy. Some lauded his early contributions to rock music, while others struggled to forgive his volatile past.
Spector was convicted of murdering actress Lana Clarkson in 2003 at his castle-like mansion on the edge of Los Angeles. The volume, and violence, of Spector’s music reflected a dark side he could barely contain even at his peak. A Spector box set retrospective was called “Back to Mono.”By the mid-1970s, Spector had largely retreated from the music business. Six months before his first murder trial began, Spector married Rachelle Short, a 26-year-old singer and actress who accompanied him to court every day. The Spector murder trial was one of many sensational cases she covered during her 48-year career as a Los Angeles-based trial reporter.
FILE - In this May 29, 2009 file photo, music producer Phil Spector sits in a courtroom for his sentencing in Los Angeles. Spector, the eccentric and revolutionary music producer who transformed rock music with his Wall of Sound method and who was later convicted of murder, died Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, at age 81. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool, File)LOS ANGELES – Phil Spector, the eccentric and revolutionary music producer who transformed rock music with his “Wall of Sound” method and who later was convicted of murder, has died. The volume, and violence, of Spector’s music reflected a dark side he could barely contain even at his peak. The Spector murder trial was one of many sensational cases she covered during her 48-year career as a Los Angeles-based trial reporter.
Phil Spector is shown wearing wigs at his murder trial in 2007 (left) and 2009 (right). Phil Spector is show in prison mugshots from 2013 (left) and 2017 (right). STOCKTON, Calif. -- One decade after his conviction for murder, a new prison mugshot shows Phil Spector with a vastly different look from the series of wild wigs that were a focus of attention during his trial.The famed music producer - who turns 80 this week - was convicted in 2009 of killing actress Lana Clarkson, and is serving a sentence of 19 years to life.He is in custody at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton and is eligible for parole in early 2025.During his trial, Spector was seen sporting a series of bizarre long-haired wigs, one of them so puffy as to create almost a helmet of curly hair surrounding his face. Another was a blond wig in a youthful, shaggy style.Even in prison without the use of wigs Spector has continued to change his appearance over the years.A 2013 mugshot showed him with long stringy hair growing in the back of his head, while one from 2017 showed him shaved completely bald.In the latest mugshot released by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation dated Nov. 19, 2019, Spector is smiling broadly and has grown a scruffy beard, while he remains bald on top. He is also wearing hearing aids in both ears.Spector, who is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was best known for the "Wall of Sound" style of producing in the 1960s and '70s, working for artists such as the Ronettes, the Righteous Brothers and the Beatles.
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