Who will get killer producer Phil Spector’s $50m fortune? Reclusive adopted children from his abusive marriage to Ronnie Spector and his writer daughter are in line for share of ‘the world’s most valuable song catalogue’
- Music producer Phil Spector died from coronavirus complications last week
- His four children, who he had with two wives, set to inherit $50million fortune
- He contracted Covid-19 in prison, before going to hospital where he recovered
- However, Spector relapsed and died on Saturday after returning to hospital
- He had been serving a 19 years-to-life sentence for the murder of Lana Clarkson
Phil Spector’s four children are expected to be in line to receive shares of the killer’s $50million fortune following his death from coronavirus complications last week.
Spector, whose net worth is estimated to be around $50million, was diagnosed with COVID four weeks ago and was transferred from his prison cell at California Health Care Facility in Stockton to hospital.
The music producer had been serving a 19 years-to-life sentence for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003.
After a stint in hospital, it appeared he had recovered enough to be returned to his cell, only for his condition to worsen, causing breathing difficulties.
Phil Spector’s four children are expected to be in line to receive shares of the killer’s $50million fortune following his death from coronavirus complications last week. Pictured: Spector’s three adopted children Donte (right) and twins Gary and Louis (left)
In the 1980s Spector then began dating Janis Zavala with whom he had twins Nicole Audrey Spector (pictured) and Phillip Spector Jr
He died in hospital on Saturday following his Covid-19 relapse.
Although Spector’s net worth at the time of his death was estimated to be around $50million, celebritynetworth.com claims this figure could be higher depending on how much he owns of ‘one of the most valuable song royalty catalogues in the world’.
Now, Spector’s four children, who he had across two of his three marriages, are set to inherit his vast fortune.
His first marriage was to Annette Merar who was a lead vocalist in the Spector’s Three which Phil created and produced in the 1960s.
However, during this marriage, he was alleged to have been having an affair with Veronica Bennett, later known as Ronnie Spector.
The music producer had been serving a 19 years-to-life sentence for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003 when he contracted the virus. After initially recovering in hospital, the music producer relapsed and died after returning to hospital
His children now are now set to inherit his $50million fortune, tied up in ‘one of the most valuable song royalty catalogues in the world’
He divorced Merar in 1966 and married Ronnie two years later in 1968.
Spector initially adopted three children with Ronnie, who was the leader singer of the Ronettes, and who he was married to for six years.
Ronnie was working as a dancing girl with her sister Estelle Bennett and cousin Nedra Talley at Brooklyn’s Fox Theater when they caught Spector’s eye.
He was immediately smitten with Ronnie, co-writing the hit tune Be My Baby as a ‘love letter’ to her.
The song – one of the first to feature Spector’s famous ‘wall of sound’ – went straight to the top of the charts and turned the Ronettes into stars.
During his career, Spector developed the Wall of Sound, a technique of that has a roaring effect, dubbed the ‘Wagnerian approach to rock ‘n’ roll,’ that was popular in the ’60s
Phil Spector (left) initially adopted three children with Ronnie Spector (right), who was the leader singer of the Ronettes, and who he was married to for six years
When the Beatles invited the Ronnettes to join their world tour, Phil delivered an ultimatum to Ronnie – she could leave him, or she could marry him.
Phil and Ronnie had adopted their son Donté Phillip Spector in 1970, only to surprise her at Christmas two years later by adopting twins Louis Phillip Spector and Gary Phillip Spector without telling her.
After six years, Ronnie eventually divorced Phil, claiming in a memoir that he held her prisoner in their mansion and that she had escaped the property barefoot in 1972 with help from her mother.
Phil and Ronnie later divorced in 1974.
In the 1980s Spector then began dating Janis Zavala with whom he had twins Nicole Audrey Spector and Phillip Spector Jr.
Phil and Ronnie (pictured) had adopted their son Donté Phillip Spector in 1970, only to surprise her at Christmas two years later by adopting twins Louis Phillip Spector and Gary Phillip Spector without telling her
Phillip Spector Jr died from leukaemia at the age of nine-years-old in 1991.
His twin, Nicole is now a writer, editor, book coach, and the creator of #Bookishdresses who has featured in publications such as The New Yorker, NBC News, The Atlantic, Vogue, Reductress, and Publisher’s Weekly.
In 2006, Phil married his girlfriend Rachelle Short, but the pair divorced 10 years later, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’.
During his career, Spector developed the Wall of Sound, a technique of that has a roaring effect, dubbed the ‘Wagnerian approach to rock ‘n’ roll,’ that was popular in the ’60s.
This was the first time the recording studio was used as an instrument itself. It works by having reverberating instruments and large ensembles play in unison to create a fuller, richer tone and nearly drown out vocals.
Spector was the rare self-conscious artist in rock’s early years and cultivated an image of mystery and power with his dark shades and impassive expression.
Tom Wolfe declared him the ‘first tycoon of teen.’ Bruce Springsteen and Brian Wilson openly replicated his grandiose recording techniques and wide-eyed romanticism, and John Lennon called him ‘the greatest record producer ever.’
He wrote, co-wrote and produced acts for the likes of the Ronettes, the Crystals, and Ike & Tina Turner.
He started his career by producing his first hit ‘To Know Him is To Love Him’ for his vocal trio the Teddy Bears when he was still in high school. It went to the top of the Billboard 100 in 1958.
From there his career skyrocketed and he produced hits including ‘Be My Baby’ by the Ronnettes and ‘He’s a Rebel’ by The Crystals.
In 1970 he produced the Beatles’ album Let It Be and several solo records for John Lennon and George Harrison.
By the 70s he had produced 18 US Top 10 singles for various artists including Leonard Cohen, and the Ramones.
Some of his top songs include ‘The Long and Winding Road’ by the Beatles in 1970 and ‘My Sweet Lord’ by George Harrison in 1970.
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