American producer Phil Spector, convicted of homicide, dies in prison

He was one of the benchmarks of music production in the mid-20th century.

The legendary American producer, Phil Spector, died Saturday in prison, where he was serving his sentence for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003, the California Prison Department said in a statement on Sunday.

The 81-year-old producer known for his innovative methods, at the helm behind hits like the Beatles' album "Let It Be", died of "natural causes", California prison services said, adding that an autopsy would be performed .

New Yorker of origin, Phil Spector will have reigned over the years 1960 and the beginning of the years 1970, connecting a series of tubes, of "Be My Baby" of Ronettes to "Give Peace a Chance" of John Lennon.

He invented the technique known as the "sound wall", which consisted in superimposing several sounds to densify the production, in particular many instruments.

Chronic psychological disorders

Phil Spector thus took advantage of the new technical possibilities of the studios during the 1960s, also using reverberation or "spill", a sound effect obtained by capturing other sounds in the studio.

After producing "Let It Be", from the last Beatles recording sessions, then several solo albums by former band members, Phil Spector saw his star falter as the 1970s wore on.

From musical setbacks to long litigation, he will no longer be able to find success.

He will also be overtaken by chronic psychological disorders, his "demons", to use his expression.

Convicted of murder

The bushy-haired man was also known for his passion for guns, regularly visiting the studio armed.

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He will be talked about again in 2003, with the discovery, by the police, of the body of actress Lana Clarkson in the producer's home in Alhambra, California.

Phil Spector will claim that the forty-something had shot herself in the mouth, a version cut to pieces by the prosecution.

After two trials, Harvey Phillip Spector, by his full name, was sentenced in 2009 to a minimum sentence of 19 years imprisonment.