The Beatles Producer Phil McDonald Dies at Age 80

Phil McDonald, the record producer and recording engineer who worked on some of The Beatles' final records, has died at the age of 80.

His death was announced by Abbey Road Studios in a statement on its website. The studio paid tribute to a man who shared a Grammy for his work on the album Abbey Road. It read: "We’re saddened to announce the passing of the wonderful Phil McDonald.

“Phil was a highly skilled, deeply trusted, and much-loved engineer who started working here in 1964 at the age of 18. A man who went on to become one of the few credited on the back cover of Abbey Road, he started out in our tape library and worked in the cutting rooms before making the transition to tape op, and soon, balance engineer.”

The statement continued: “His first session with The Beatles is documented as 17 June 1965 for ‘Yesterday.’ The following years working on Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and The White Album, he would’ve been trained up by the likes of Geoff Emerick and Ken Scott before taking a central role in the recording of Abbey Road.

“Phil’s philosophy was always to get as close as possible to recording the true sound he heard in the studio.

“Transitioning to Apple Records around 1971 and through 1974, Phil worked with all four Beatles on their first solo projects, before lending his talents to some of the world’s biggest artists including Eric Clapton, Harry Nilsson, Deep Purple, Squeeze and Roy Orbison.

"Across his career, Phil contributed to some of the most influential albums of all time: All Things Must Pass, Imagine, McCartney I, The Madcap Laughs, Plastic Ono Band, Deep Purple In Rock, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Living In The Material World, A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night, Traveling Wilburys Vol.1, Mystery Girl and so many more.”

Source: the-independent.com/Greg Evans

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