- Born
- Died
- Birth nameHarvey Philip Spector
- Nicknames
- The Tycoon of Teen
- Phil
- Phil Harvey
- Philly
- Height5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
- Phil Spector was born on December 26, 1939 in The Bronx, New York, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for Blue Beetle (2023), Top Gun (1986) and Dirty Dancing (1987). He was married to Rachelle Marie Short , Janis Lynn Zavala, Ronnie Spector and Annette Merar. He died on January 16, 2021 in French Camp, California, USA.
- SpousesRachelle Marie Short (September 1, 2006 - January 16, 2021) (his death)Janis Lynn Zavala(1982 - ????) (divorced, 2 children)Ronnie Spector(April 14, 1968 - 1974) (divorced, 3 children)Annette Merar(February 1963 - 1966) (divorced)
- ChildrenPhillip Spector Jr.Louis Phillip Spector
- His studio band was affectionately known as the Wrecking Crew; session regulars included Hal Blaine, Glen Campbell, Al De Lory, Jim Gordon, Jim Horn, Carol Kaye, Leon Russell, Tommy Tedesco, Nino Tempo, and Sonny Bono, himself learning the producer's trade, as Spector had learned from Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Brian Wilson sometimes "borrowed" Wrecking Crew members for his own recordings with The Beach Boys.
- Produced records for Gene Pitney, Ike Turner and Tina Turner, Ben E. King, The Beatles, The Righteous Brothers, The Checkmates, The Crystals, The Ronettes, Ramones and Yoko Ono, among others.
- On February 3, 2003, he was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after Lana Clarkson was shot to death in his home in Alhambra, CA. In April 2007 he went on trial in Los Angeles. On April 13, 2009, he was convicted of second-degree murder. On May 29 he was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison (he would have not be eligible for parole until 2028, when he would have been 88 years old. If he didn't get parole then, by California law his sentence would have become a life term). He is serving his sentence at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran. He was also ordered to pay $16,800 in funeral expenses and more than $9,700 to a state victim's assistance fund.
- Gave Cher her first recording experience at 16, after Sonny Bono proposed his "girlfriend" as a session singer.
- One night at his home he held the punk band Ramones at gunpoint and forced them to perform.
- [asked if he enjoyed the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber] Why, yes. In fact, I respect his work so much that one day I'd like to set it to music.
- Love is an obsessive delusion that is cured by marriage.
- The youth of today are so disappointing. They talk about nothing except themselves
- [about Elvis Presley] You have no idea how great he is, really you don't. You have no comprehension--it's absolutely impossible. I can't tell you why he's so great, but he is. He's sensational.
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