McCartney Times

Recording engineer Al Schmitt died at the age of 91 on Monday, according to the his family.

With 20 Grammy wins for his work with everyone from Ray Charles to Paul McCartney to Natalie Cole to Steely Dan, Schmitt won more Grammy Awards than any other engineer in music history. In addition to earning a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, he became the first person to win a Grammy album of the year award and a Latin Grammy album of the year award; additionally, he’s recorded more than 150 gold and platinum albums.

On Schmitt’s Facebook page (which he was very active on up until his passing), the family posted the following note: “Al Schmitt’s wife Lisa, his five children, eight grandchildren, and five great grandchildren would like his friends and extended recording industry family to know that he passed away Monday afternoon, April 26. The world has lost a much loved and respected extraordinary individual, who led an extraordinary life. The most honored and awarded recording producer/engineer of all time, his parting words at any speaking engagement were, ‘Please be kind to all living things.’ Loved and admired by his recording colleagues, and by the countless artists he worked with, from Jefferson Airplane, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Diana Krall, Dr. John, Natalie Cole and Jackson Browne to Bob Dylan — and so many more — Al will be sorely missed. He was a man who loved deeply, and the friendships, love and admiration he received in return enriched his life and truly mattered to him. A light has dimmed in the world, but we all learned so much from him in his time on earth, and are so very grateful to have known him.”

With a knack for lush, detailed productions that bring to mind the era of classic vocal jazz, Schmitt won Grammys in six consecutive decades starting in the ’60s, when he won his first award for his engineering work on Henry Mancini’s Hatari soundtrack. Most recently, he won the 2013 best surround sound album Grammy for McCartney’s Live Kisses.

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Source: Al Schmitt Dead: Recording Engineer Dies at 91 | Hollywood Reporter