Phil McDonald, the Grammy-winning engineer behind the Beatles' Abbey Road and John Lennon's Imagine, dies aged 80

Paul McCartney, who after The Beatles split worked simultaneously with all four members on their solo recordings at Abbey Road Studios.

Phil McDonald (second from left) with John Lennon and Yoko Ono at Abbey Road Studios, where McDonald worked his first Beatles session in 1965 and went on to engineer some of the most celebrated albums ever recorded.

Abbey Road Studios announced McDonald's death on its website, paying tribute to a Leeds-born engineer who joined EMI Studios in 1964 at just 18 and possessed perfect pitch. His first Beatles session was on 17 June 1965 for 'Yesterday', where Paul McCartney debuted the track to an audience of just two: McDonald and producer George Martin.

McDonald shared the 1970 Grammy for Best Engineered Recording with Geoff Emerick for Abbey Road, making him one of the few engineers credited on its back cover.

After the Beatles split, he worked with all four members on their solo debuts, engineering Lennon's 'Imagine', Harrison's 'All Things Must Pass' and the Traveling Wilburys' debut.

Abbey Road Studios said they welcomed him back last year for a final look around 'his old home — a moment we all treasured'; he is survived by his wife, Sandra.

The Independent'Thanks Phil': The Beatles' Abbey Road Studio engineer Phil McDonald dies aged 80 The IndependentPhil McDonald death: Beatles engineer behind Abbey Road album dies aged 80 The SunGrammy-winning music producer behind The Beatles' most popular albums & John Lennon's Imagine dies aged 80 Far Out MagazineGrammy-winning The Beatles producer Phil McDonald dead aged 80 - Far Out Magazine Female FirstThe Beatles engineer Phil McDonald dies at 80 - Female First

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