Rock producers don’t get much respect because no one knows what they do.
But their contribution to making hit records is incalculable.
Such was the case for Jack Douglas, who has died at 80.
Douglas’s relationship with Lennon began when he engineered the “Imagine” album in 1971. In 1980 he produced John Lennon’s final albums, “Double Fantasy,” and “Milk and Honey.” It was Douglas who said goodbye to John and Yoko before they left the recording studio and went home to tragedy. The Lennon murder left a mark on Douglas, who blamed himself for not walking the couple home.
In between his work with Lennon, Douglas produced a string of hits that established Aerosmith in the 70s including “Walk this Way” and “Sweet Emotion.” He also oversaw a hit for Graham Parker with his “Another Grey Area” album and “Temporary Beauty” single.
