Legendary recording engineer Larry Levine, RIP

[Steve Hoffman]

One of my good friends and one of the most legendary recording engineers in pop music history has died, Larry Levine. His wife Lyn has written:

Dearest Family and Friends,

It is my sad task to inform you that Larry passed away peacefully in his sleep during the night. He often told me when the quality of his life was diminished, he would be on his way.

He left us on his 80th birthday. It is ironic that the house is beginning to fill with flowers for him. For those of you that sent him birthday cards, they will go with him.

For a quiet kind of guy, the spotlight always found him. He was a legend not only to the world, but to his family and friends. He will be missed.

Jos wrote:


Larry Levine is responsible for some of the greatest classic rock recordings of all time. As Phil Spector's longtime engineer, he helped craft the "wall of sound" that made records by The Ronettes and other Spector artists sonically unique. Levine also manned the board for numerous Beach Boys albums, including the legendary "Pet Sounds," as well as Ike and Tina Turner's famed "River Deep, Mountain High." He has also recorded Herb Alpert, The Righteous Brothers, Billy Eckstine and The Ramones.

Larry also was the 1965 Grammy-award winning recording engineer for "A Taste Of Honey" (Herb Alpert)....

Let's keep him in our minds for all the great things he did to music....

Gort Jos, the press was notified and I know you were holding off on this until that happened so I am going to post this thread. I know you started one as well but please let me do the honors here.

Tuesday morning breakfast will not be the same without Larry, his modesty, cantankerous humor, wonderful stories about recording the Phil Spector and Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass hits and we will miss his gentleness and kindness.

A sad day but he was active until the end (he was at breakfast on Tuesday) and his accomplishments in recording the music we love will live on.

RIP, Larry.

You can see Larry in the top shot at our Tuesday Morning Gold Star/Vine Street Irregulars Breakfast. Larry is on the left and has his "Hey, don't take my picture, dude" face on.. These vets of the music biz (Stan "Choo Choo" Ross, the late Mel Levin, Dave Gold, Randy Van Horne, Hal Blaine, Fred Darian, etc.) are great guys and welcomed youngsters like Kevin Gray and I into their group with open arms.