Phil Ramone, Grammy-winning producer, dead at 79

NEW YORK (AP) — Phil Ramone, the Grammy Award-winning engineer and producer whose platinum touch included recordings with Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon, has died at 79.

Ramone's son, Matt Ramone, says his father died Saturday morning at a New York City hospital from complications stemming from heart surgery he had last month.

Phil Ramone was among the most honored and successful music producers in history, winning 14 Grammys and working with many of the top artists of his era. He was also an innovator who helped the CD displace vinyl as the primary commercial format. His many soundtrack credits included "Flashdance," ''Ghostbusters" and "Midnight Cowboy."

A native of South Africa, Ramone trained as a violinist at The Julliard School and became a U.S. citizen when he was 12. By his mid-20s, he and a partner opened his own recording studio.

Ramone lived in Wilton, Conn.