Legendary Producer and Engineer Andy Johns Dies

Andy Johns, a music producer and sound engineer for such bands as Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Van Halen, died Sunday. He was 61.
Johns had been hospitalized for about 10 days prior to his death. "Andy's health wasn't all that great over the last six months or so, but he was still Andy," guitarist Stacey Blades, who was working on a project with Johns, told CNN. "When I got the call yesterday I was shocked."

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Johns was the engineer for the majority of Led Zeppelin's albums, including Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin IV, Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti.  He also worked on the Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street and Goats Head Soup; Van Halen's For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge;and two albums by Joe Satriani."It was just amazing to watch him work, and how he would place mics in the recording room, and his ideas while you're tracking. I learned a lot from him, he was inspiring and taught me so much about sound and thinking outside of the box," Blades, a former member of L.A. Guns, said. "You always took his suggestions, because how can you argue with a guy who produced the Stones?"A memorial concert for Johns is being organized for next month by Blades and other musicians with whom Johns worked.Johns is survived by his wife and two children.