Producer Arif Mardin Dies

Arif Mardin, the famous producer who worked with such stars as Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, and Bee Gees, died June 25th of pancreatic cancer.

Born in Hungary, Mardin, 74, moved to the U.S. in 1958 after Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones convinced him to make a career of music.

After graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston, he started at Atlantic Records in 1963 and eventually became senior vice president there. He left Atlantic to work at the revived Manhattan Records label in 2001, and later retired in 2004.

Collecting 11 Grammys in the process, he also worked with Bette Midler, Jewel, Hall & Oates, and Norah Jones.

“Everyone in music will miss his contributions, but his legacy will live on as he truly has earned the music community’s and the world’s utmost respect,” said Neil Portnow, president of The Recording Academy.