John Fry, the acclaimed producer/engineer of Ardent Studios in Memphis, died yesterday (Dec. 18) at the age of 69. An unbelievable list of talent recorded with Fry at Ardent including Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, The Allman Brothers Band and The White Stripes. However, it was Fry's involvement with Big Star that remains a partnership of legend to this day, Billboard notes.

"Your moods are affected by your surroundings," he once said. "I think there is something that operates in Memphis...and at Ardent. I can't explain what it is. You come record here, something good happens to you."

Fry unfortunately was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, but Big Star drummer Jody Stephens, who is the GM for the Ardent Music company, said the producer was in good spirits during his final days before suffering a cardiac event.

"He was actually doing alright," Stephens added. "He was still active. He was around the studio the week before. He was taking it easy, but we all figured that was the right steps for him to take and that he would be fine. So it was a great surprise."

Ardent spawned more than 70 gold and platinum albums/singles during Fry's lifetime.

Artists took to Twitter to pay their respects.

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