Producer Phil Ramone dies

Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone dead at age 79 - CNN.comvar cnnCurrTime=new Date(1366340289000),cnnCurrHour=22,cnnCurrMin=58,cnnCurrDay="Thu",cnnIsIntl=true,clickID=212106,cnn_cvpAdpre="edition.",cnnCVPAdSectionT1="edition.cnn.com_entertainment_t1",cnnCVPAdSectionInPage="edition.cnn.com_entertainment_inpage",cnnShareUrl="%2F2013%2F03%2F30%2Fshowbiz%2Fobit-phil-ramone%2Findex.html",cnnShareTitle="Music%20producer%20and%20innovator%20Phil%20Ramone%20dead%20at%20age%2079",cnnShareDesc="",cnnFirstPub=new Date('Saturday Mar 30 01:35:59 EDT 2013'),cnnSectionName="entertainment",cnnSubSectionName="ent : news",cnnPageType="Story",cnnBrandingValue="default";cnnPartnerValue="";cnnOmniBranding="",cnnAuthor="Michael Martinez, CNN",disqus_category_id=207582,disqus_identifier="/2013/03/30/showbiz/obit-phil-ramone/index.html",disqus_title="Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone dead at age 79",cnn_edtnswtchver="edition",cnnIsStoryPage=true,cnn_metadata = {},cnn_shareconfig = [];cnn_metadata = {section: ["entertainment","ent : news"],friendly_name: "Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone dead at age 79",template_type: "content",template_type_content: "gallery",business: {cnn: {page: {author: "Michael Martinez, CNN",broadcast_franchise: "",video_embed_count: "0",publish_date: "2013/03/30",photo_gallery: "Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone dead at age 79"},video: {video_player: ""}}},user: {authenticated: "",segment: {age: "",zip: "",gender: ""}}};if (typeof(cnnOmniPartner) !== "undefined") {if (cnn_metadata.template_type_content === "") {cnn_metadata.template_type_content = "partner";}}var photo_gallery = "Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone dead at age 79";if(typeof CNN==='undefined'){var CNN=Class.create();}CNN.expandableMap=[''];function _loginOptions(){};var disqus_url=(typeof disqus_identifier!=='undefined') ? 'http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/30/showbiz/obit-phil-ramone/index.html' : 'http://www.cnn.com'+location.pathname;cnnad_newTileIDGroup(['970x66_top','300x250_rgt','300x250_rgt2','336x280_rgt','336x850_rgt','300x150_rgt','728x90_top','728x90_bot','BG_Skin','120x90_bot1','120x90_bot2','120x90_bot3']);cnnad_newTileIDGroup(['607x95_adlinks','336x280_adlinks']); EDITION:  INTERNATIONAL U.S. MÉXICO ARABIC TV:   CNNi CNN en Español Set edition preference Sign up Log in Home Video World U.S. Africa Asia Europe Latin America Middle East Business World Sport Entertainment Tech Travel iReport SHARE THISPrintEmailMore sharingRedditStumbleUponDelicious/* push in config for this share instance */cnn_shareconfig.push({"id" : "cnn_sharebar1","url" : "http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/30/showbiz/obit-phil-ramone/index.html","title" : "Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone dead at age 79"});Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone dead at age 79By Michael Martinez, CNNMarch 31, 2013 -- Updated 0141 GMT (0941 HKT)if (typeof cnnArticleGallery=="undefined"){var cnnArticleGallery={};if(typeof cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=="undefined"){cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=[];}}var expGalleryPT00=new ArticleExpandableGallery();expGalleryPT00.setImageCount(43);expGalleryPT00.setAdsRefreshCount(3);//cnn_adbptrackpgalimg("People we lost in 2013 ", 1);.cnn_html_slideshow_metadata > .cnn_html_media_utility::before{color:red;content:'>>';font-size:9px;line-height:12px;padding-right:1px}.cnnstrylccimg640{margin:0 27px 14px 0}.captionText{filter:alpha(opacity=100);opacity:1}.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:visited,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:link,.captionText a,.captionText a:visited,.captiontext a:link{color:#004276;outline:medium none}.cnnVerticalGalleryPhoto{margin:0 auto;padding-right:68px;width:270px}A look back at those we have lost in 2013.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":true,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":1,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Pat Summerall, the NFL football player turned legendary play-by-play announcer, was best known as a broadcaster who teamed up with former NFL coach John Madden. Summerall died April 16 at the age of 82.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"Photos: People we lost in 2013 "}Comedian Jonathan Winters died on April 11 at age 87. Known for his comic irreverence, he had a major influence on a generation of comedians. Here he appears on "The Jonathan Winters Show" in 1956. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Annette Funicello, one of the best-known members of the original 1950s "Mickey Mouse Club" and a star of 1960s "beach party" movies, died at age 70 on April 8. Pictured, Funicello performs with Jimmie Dodd on "The Mickey Mouse Club" in1957.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a towering figure in postwar British and world politics and the only woman to become British prime minister, died at the age of 87 on Monday, April 8.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Designer Lilly Pulitzer, right, died on April 7 at age 81, according to her company's Facebook page. The Palm Beach socialite was known for making sleeveless dresses from bright floral prints that became known as the "Lilly" design. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Film critic Roger Ebert died on April 4, according to his employer, the Chicago Sun-Times. He was 70. Ebert had taken a leave of absence on April 2 after a hip fracture was revealed to be cancer.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":7,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Jane Nebel Henson, wife of the late Muppets creator Jim Henson and instrumental in the development of the world-famous puppets, died April 2 after a long battle with cancer. She was 78.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":8,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Shain Gandee, one of the stars of the MTV reality show "Buckwild," was found dead with two other people in Kanawha County, West Virginia, on April 1. He was 21.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":9,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone, right, with Paul Shaffer, left, and Billy Joel at the Song Writers Hall of Fame Awards in New York in 2001. Ramone died March 30 at the age of 72.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":10,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Writer/producer Don Payne, one of the creative minds behind "The Simpsons," died March 26 at his home in Los Angeles after losing a battle with bone cancer, reports say. He was 48.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":11,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Gordon Stoker, left, who as part of the vocal group the Jordanaires sang backup on hits by Elvis Presley, died March 27 at 88.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":12,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Deke Richards, center, died March 24 at age 68. Richards was a producer and songwriter who was part of the team responsible for Motown hits such as "I Want You Back" and "Maybe Tomorrow." He had been battling esophageal cancer.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":13,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Legendary publisher, promoter and weightlifter Joe Weider, who created the Mr. Olympia contest and brought California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the United States, died at age 93 on March 23.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":14,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Christa Speck Krofft, died March 22 of natural causes at the age of 70." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0015" style="margin:0 auto;display:none" width="640"/> Playboy magazine's 1962 "Playmate of the Year," Christa Speck Krofft, died March 22 of natural causes at the age of 70.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":15,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Rena Golden, who held top positions at CNN, died at age 51 after battling lymphoma for two years on March 21. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":16,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Harry Reems, the porn star best known for playing Dr. Young in the 1972 adult film classic "Deep Throat," died March 19, according to a spokeswoman at a Salt Lake City hospital. Reems, whose real name is Herbert Streicher, was 65.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":17,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Bobbie Smith, who as a member of the Spinners sang lead on such hits as "I'll Be Around" and "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love," died on March 16 at age 76. Pictured clockwise from left, Spinners band member Pervis Jackson, Billy Henderson, Jonathan Edwards, Bobbie Smith and Henry Fambrough, 1977.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":18,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Sweden's Princess Lilian, the Welsh-born model who lived with her lover Prince Bertil for 30 years before they were married, has died at the age of 97, the Swedish Royal Court said in a statement.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":19,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Alvin Lee, the speed-fingered British guitarist who lit up Woodstock with a monumental 11-minute version of his song "I'm Going Home," died on March 6, according to his website. He was 68.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":20,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Hugo Chavez, the polarizing president of Venezuela who cast himself as a "21st century socialist" and foe of the United States, died March 5, said Vice President Nicolas Maduro.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":21,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Bobby Rogers, one of the original members of Motown staple The Miracles, died on Sunday, March 3, at 73. From left: Bobby Rogers, Ronald White, Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore circa 1965.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":22,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Actress Bonnie Franklin, star of the TV show "One Day at a Time," died at the age of 69 on March 1 of complications from pancreatic cancer.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":23,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Actor Dale Robertson, who was popular for his western TV shows and movies, died at age 89 on Thursday, February 28. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":24,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Richard Street, former member of the Temptations, died at age 70 on February 27. Street, second from the left, poses for a portrait with fellow members of the Temptations circa 1973.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":25,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Van Cliburn, the legendary pianist honored with a New York ticker-tape parade for winning a major Moscow competition in 1958, died on February 27 after a battle with bone cancer, his publicist said. He was 78.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":26,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop died on February 25. He was 96. Koop served as surgeon general from 1982 to 1989, under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":27,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Damon Harris, former member of the Motown group the Temptations, died at age 62 on February 18. Harris, center on the stool, poses for a portrait with fellow members of The Temptations circa 1974. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":28,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Lou Myers, a stage, film and TV actor who memorably portrayed Mr. Gaines on the comedy "A Different World," died on February 19 at the age of 75.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":29,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Los Angeles Laker owner Jerry Buss died February 18 at age 80. Buss, who had owned the Lakers since 1979, was credited with procuring the likes of Earvin "Magic" Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. The Lakers won 10 NBA championships and 16 Western Conference titles under Buss' ownership.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":30,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Country singer Mindy McCready was found dead on February 17 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. She was 37. During her career, McCready landed 14 songs and six albums on the Billboard country charts.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":31,"title":"People we lost in 2013 "}Ed Koch, the brash former New York mayor, died February 1 of congestive heart failure at 88, his spokesman said.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":32,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Patty Andrews, center, the last surviving member of the Andrews Sisters, died at her Northridge, California, home on January 30, her publicist Alan Eichler said. She was 94. Patty is seen in this 1948 photograph with her sisters Maxene, left, and Laverne.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":33,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Baseball Hall of Famer and St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial died on January 19, according to his former team. He was 92.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":34,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Baseball Hall of Fame manager Earl Sidney Weaver, who led the Baltimore Orioles to four pennants and a World Series title with a pugnacity toward umpires, died January 19 of an apparent heart attack at age 82, Major League Baseball said.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":35,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Pauline Phillips, better known to millions of newspaper readers as the original Dear Abby advice columnist, has died after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. She died January 16 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at age 94.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":36,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Aaron Swartz, the Internet activist who co-wrote the initial specification for RSS, committed suicide, a relative told CNN on January 12. He was 26. Swartz also co-founded Demand Progress, a political action group that campaigns against Internet censorship.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":37,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Claude Nobs, the founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, died aged 76 following a skiing accident.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":38,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Richard Ben Cramer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer whose 1992 book "What It Takes" remains one of the most detailed and passionate of all presidential campaign chronicles, died January 7, according to his longtime agent. He was 62.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":39,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Director and stuntman David R. Ellis died on January 7. He directed "Snakes on a Plane."cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":40,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Tony Lip, who played mob figures in the hit cable show "The Sopranos" and several critically acclaimed movies, died January 4, a funeral home official said. Lip, whose real name was Frank Vallelonga, was 82.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":41,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Character actor Ned Wertimer, known to fans of "The Jeffersons" as the doorman Ralph Hart, died on January 2. He was 89.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":42,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}Pop-country singer Patti Page died on January 1 in Encinitas, California. She was 85. Born Clara Ann Fowler, Page was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s and had 19 gold and 14 platinum singles. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":43,"title":"People we lost in 2013"}HIDE CAPTIONPeople we lost in 2013 Photos: People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013 People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013People we lost in 2013<<<12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243>>>Event.observe(window,'load',function(){if(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined'){cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image,"Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone dead at age 79");}});STORY HIGHLIGHTSPhil Ramone died Saturday at a New York hospital, his son saysThe producer won 14 Grammys, including a Technical Grammy for lifetime innovations Ramone had "most gentle way of bringing out the best," Streisand saysHe was "one of the true innovators and geniuses" in records, Quincy Jones adds

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Innovative music producer Phil Ramone, whose work with the major artists of the modern era won him 14 Grammys and prompted the nickname "Pope of Pop," died Saturday morning in a New York hospital, his son, Matt, told CNN.

The family did not immediately provide a cause of death. Ramone was 79, according to Billboard.

"What a great man, what a kind spirit, such an incredible producer," said Stevie Wonder, calling Ramone "the star of stars behind the stars." "Truly a tragic loss for us on earth but what a wonderful blessing for heaven."

Ramone's collaboration credits are a Who's Who of the music industry: Burt Bacharach, Bono, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon and Frank Sinatra, to name a few.

Many of them responded to Saturday's news with sadness and praise.

"This is so shocking. I just performed for his tribute in December," Franklin said in a statement. "Truly one of the great names in music has gone on, but the melodies will remain."

Said Billy Joel: "I always thought of Phil Ramone as the most talented guy in my band. ... The music world lost a giant today."

Barbra Streisand recalled working with Ramone in 1967 when she did a free concert in New York's Central Park and noticed "his brilliance at capturing sound," she said. They worked on the film "A Star is Born" and later the soundtrack to "Yentl."

"Phil had impeccable musical taste, great ears and the most gentle way of bringing out the best in all the artists he worked with," Streisand said. "The monumental recordings he produced will endure for all time."

From prodigy to producer

A violin prodigy, Ramone began studying music at 3. At 10, he performed for Queen Elizabeth II.

As he got older, though, his focus turned to helping others make the best music possible. He opened his own studio, New York's A&R Recordings, and developed a friendship with Atlantic Records' renowned engineer and producer, Tom Dowd.

"He was not only a great friend, but a mentor," Ramone said in 2005. "... I owe him a tremendous amount. He shaped the way I worked."

There's no question that Ramone made his own mark -- across most all types of music, embracing the old and the new.

A board member of the Grammy Museum at the time of his death, he worked across all genres of music and served as chair of the board of trustees of The Recording Academy.

Ramone's collaboration with Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon won a total of three album of the year awards, and Ramone won producer of the year (non-classical) in 1980, The Recording Academy said.

But he never confined himself to one genre. Take, for instance, his work in Broadway and off-Broadway productions, including "Chicago" and "The Wiz." Then there are the songs and entire soundtracks he produced for films such as "Flashdance," "Ghostbusters" and "Midnight Cowboy."

And in television, he produced and supervised music for television specials such as the Oscars, Elton John at Radio City Music Hall, "The Jim Henson Hour" and "The Muppets at Walt Disney World."

'A musical genius and the most lovable person'

Ask Ramone, though, and he'd tell you the reason he had so much success was because of the talent around him, which he worked hard to best showcase.

"It's all about the raw material," he told CNN in 2005 from his home in Westchester County, New York. "You have to be prepared for anything that comes."

Still, while he might have deflected praise, there was no stopping it Saturday night.

Elton John called Ramone "a friend, a musical genius and the most lovable person."

James Taylor, too, praised both the producer -- calling him "a pioneer" -- and the person. "He lit up any room he entered," Taylor said.

Neil Sedaka said he was 16 years old when Ramone added the rhythm section to his demos, which became his first two records, "Laura Lee" and "Snowtime."

"He knew how to get the most out of the artists he worked with," Sedaka said. "With his passing the record business lost one of the all time greats."

Quincy Jones knew Ramone, as a friend and collaborator, for more than 50 years.

If Ramone wasn't by his side in the studio, "It would seem like one ingredient was missing," said Jones, a legendary producer in his own right.

"Today we lost one of the true musicians, innovators and geniuses of the record industry," Jones said. "His immense talents were only surpassed by the gigantic size of his heart."

People we lost in 2013: The lives they lived

CNN's Denise Quan and Todd Leopold contributed to this report.

0Comments »SHARE THISPrintEmailMore sharingRedditStumbleUponDelicious/* push in config for this share instance */cnn_shareconfig.push({"id" : "cnn_sharebar2","url" : "http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/30/showbiz/obit-phil-ramone/index.html","title" : "Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone dead at age 79"});var OB_permalink='http://edition.cnn.com'+location.pathname;var OB_langJS='http://widgets.outbrain.com/lang_en.js';var OB_widgetId='AR_1';var OB_Template="cnnedition";if (typeof(OB_Script)!='undefined'){OutbrainStart();}else{var OB_Script=true;var str="cnnad_createAd("632805","http://ads.cnn.com/html.ng/site=cnn_international&cnn_intl_pagetype=mmst&cnn_intl_position=607x95_adlinks&cnn_intl_rollup=entertainment&page.allowcompete=no¶ms.styles=fs","95","607");cnnad_registerSpace(632805,607,95);cnnad_createAd("416261","http://ads.cnn.com/html.ng/site=cnn_international&cnn_intl_pagetype=mmst&cnn_intl_position=336x850_rgt&cnn_intl_rollup=entertainment&page.allowcompete=no¶ms.styles=fs","850","336");cnnad_registerSpace(416261,336,850);Part of complete coverage on People we lost in 2013Photos: People we lost in 2013 April 17, 2013 -- Updated 1415 GMT (2215 HKT)Click through our gallery to remember those we lost this year.'Mickey Mouse Club' original Annette FunicelloApril 9, 2013 -- Updated 1514 GMT (2314 HKT)Annette Funicello, one of the best-known members of the original 1950s "Mickey Mouse Club" and a star of numerous 1960s "beach party" films, has died at age 70.Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female PMApril 9, 2013 -- Updated 0149 GMT (0949 HKT)Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a towering figure in postwar British and world politics and the only woman to become British prime minister, died at the age of 87.Iconic fashion designer Lilly PulitzerApril 8, 2013 -- Updated 1804 GMT (0204 HKT)Iconic fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau died in Palm Beach, Florida, surrounded by family.Roger Ebert, renowned film criticApril 5, 2013 -- Updated 1222 GMT (2022 HKT)The last hand in the "two thumbs up" film critic team, Roger Ebert, died two days after revealing cancer returned to his body.Muppets' Jane HensonApril 3, 2013 -- Updated 1149 GMT (1949 HKT)Jane Nebel Henson -- who was married to the late Muppets creator Jim Henson and was instrumental in the development of the world-famous puppets -- has died at age 79.'Buckwild' star Shain GandeeApril 2, 2013 -- Updated 0018 GMT (0818 HKT)Shain Gandee, one of the stars of the MTV reality show "Buckwild," has been found dead along with two other people in Kanawha County, West Virginia.Music producer and innovator Phil RamoneMarch 31, 2013 -- Updated 0141 GMT (0941 HKT)Music producer and engineer Phil Ramone, winner of 14 Grammys and a technical innovator, died Saturday morning in a New York hospital.'Thor,' 'Simpsons' writer Don PayneMarch 29, 2013 -- Updated 1550 GMT (2350 HKT)Award-winning writer/producer Don Payne, one of the creative minds who contributed to "The Simpsons," died this week at his home in Los Angeles.Gordon Stoker, Jordanaires singerMarch 28, 2013 -- Updated 2046 GMT (0446 HKT)Gordon Stoker, who as part of the vocal group the Jordanaires sang backup on hits by Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, George Jones and countless others, died at his home in Brentwood, Tennessee. Motown songwriter Deke RichardsMarch 26, 2013 -- Updated 1318 GMT (2118 HKT)Deke Richards, a producer and songwriter who was part of the team responsible for Motown hits like "I Want You Back" and "Maybe Tomorrow," died at age 68 after battling esophageal cancer.Fitness pioneer Joe WeiderMarch 26, 2013 -- Updated 1317 GMT (2117 HKT)A bodybuilding icon. A fitness innovator. A magazine publisher. A mentor to one of the world's biggest action heroes.'Things Fall Apart' author Chinua AchebeMarch 22, 2013 -- Updated 1815 GMT (0215 HKT)Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, acclaimed in part for his 1958 novel "Things Fall Apart," has died, his British publisher, Penguin Books, said. News leader Rena GoldenMarch 22, 2013 -- Updated 1324 GMT (2124 HKT)Many success stories open with humble beginnings. 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