Famous music producer Shel Talmy passes away

He's one of the most legendary producers in music history.

You probably wouldn't have heard of The Who or The Kinks if it wasn't for Shel Talmy.

Unfortunately, the industry legend has passed away at the age of 87.

Reports indicate that Talmy "died peacefully in his sleep" at his home in Los Angeles on November 13.

His cause of death is reported as complications related to a stroke.

The initial announcement was made on Shel Talmy's official Facebook page.

Talmy was born in Chicago in 1937 but moved to England in 1962. He got his first big break across the pond by telling Decca Records that he had worked with The Beach Boys. I would imagine it would have been much harder to fact-check claims like these back in the sixties.

According to People.com:

"Talmy found success working with many British rock bands of the decade, including The Who and The Kinks. He produced dozens of their hits, including "You Really Got Me," "Tired of Waiting for You," "Sunny Afternoon" and "Waterloo Sunset." Later on, he took on The Who's "My Generation" as well as tracks for artists including David Bowie and Australian group The Easybeats."

It's pretty easy to understand why Talmy is so respected by his peers in the industry. There's was nobody quite like Talmy who came before him, and we haven't seen anyone like him since.

Collaborator Alec Palao called Talmy "truly a one-off."

"Even the briefest survey of the most essential pop and rock recordings of the 1960s would need to include something Shel produced," Palao said. "And that in itself is an incredibly meaningful legacy."

If you've ever enjoyed the music of The Kinks, The Who, or David Bowie, then you owe a thank-you to Shel Talmy.

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