Ringo Starr announced via Twitter this morning that George Martin, “the fifth Beatle,” had passed away at the age of 90

George Martin produced over 700 records (including Mahavishnu Orchestra’s Apocalypse, thank you very much).

He, along with the engineers and artists he collaborated with, changed the way studio technologies were used.

He signed the Beatles and oversaw the creation of one of the most durable catalogs in the history of recorded music.

But even that’s an understatement. His orchestral arrangement work on some of the Beatles’ songs is inextricable from the songs themselves in our imagination.

The man was arguably the most influential record producer of all time and his talents fostered the music that is most dear to my heart. I think hundreds of millions of people around the world would agree. Goodbye and thank you George Martin for a life of inspiration.

George Martin dies at age 90