Producer George Martin of 'The Beatles' Has Passed Away

MTV reports that Sir George Martin, the producer and musician known as "the fifth Beatle," has died at the age of 90. According to his management team, Martin died peacefully on March 8th at his home in England.

Early in the Beatles's career, Martin helped them become one of the most influential acts in popular music. In addition to producing each one of their original albums, he arranged many of the Beatles' most famous songs; the strings on "Eleanor Rigby" and the piano solo on "In My Life" were both scored by Martin.

"If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George," Paul McCartney wrote in a statement. "From the day that he gave The Beatles our first recording contract, to the last time I saw him, he was the most generous, intelligent and musical person I've ever had the pleasure to know."

"As many fans of the Beatles know, George's work as producer, engineer, arranger, conductor, and musician was instrumental to the massive success of the group," wrote Grammy president Neil Portnow on Twitter. "He was one of the most innovative producers of all time and his impact on music is unparalleled.

Sir George Henry Martin CBE was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, audio engineer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle" in reference to his extensive involvement on each of the Beatles' original albums. Martin had 30 number-one hit singles in the United Kingdom and 23 number-one hits in the United States.

He attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 1947 to 1950, studying piano and oboe. Following his graduation, he worked for the BBC's classical music department, then joined EMI in 1950. Martin produced comedy and novelty records in the early 1950s, working with Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan, among others.

Martin's career spanned more than six decades of work in music, film, television and live performance. He also held a number of senior executive roles at media companies and contributed to a wide range of charitable causes, including his work for the Prince's Trust and the Caribbean island of Montserrat.

In recognition of his services to the music industry and popular culture, he was made a Knight Bachelor in 1996.

PHOTO CREDIT: The Beatles Official Facebook Page

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