Andy Johns Dies At 61, Legendary Engineer And Producer Worked With Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Blind Faith

Andy Johns, the legendary engineer and producer behind some of rock's greatest records, died Sunday at the age of 61.

The cause of death was not released as of Monday, but friend and collaborator Stacey Blades said Johns had entered the hospital 10 days before.

"Andy's health wasn't all that great over the last six months or so, but he was still Andy," Blades told CNN on Monday. "When I got the call yesterday I was shocked."

The younger brother of record producer Glyn Johns (Bob Dylan, The Who), it was Andy Johns who kicked the decibels of rock and roll up several notches while recording musical icons like Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and John Bonham.

"So sad to hear of the passing of Andy Johns-- great record producer," Queen guitarist Brian May wrote on his blog Monday. "Lovely guy, patient, skilled, funny, encouraging, sharp, all the qualities you want in someone who is getting your music on to tape."

"I remember him as one of the Olympic Studios team in Barnes playing around with varying tape speeds and early phasing," May added. "He went on to become one of the very top rock producers in the world. Condolences to all the family. Andy was such a great guy."

Johns's credits include The Rolling Stones's "Sticky Fingers," "Exile on Main Street" and "Goats Head Soup," and every Led Zeppelin album from 1969's "Led Zeppelin II" to 1975's "Physical Graffiti."

He also worked with Jethro Tull, Joni Mitchell, Blind Faith and Television.

Johns dies leaving behind a legacy of over four decades of recorded music as an engineer and producer. At least a dozen albums from his discography are indisputable rock and roll masterpieces.

"I don't build mixes," Johns once told music tech blogger Bobby Owsinski. "I start with everything. Most of the people that listen to and tweak one instrument at a time get crap. You've just got to go through it with the whole thing up because every sound affects every other sound."

He told Universal Audio that it was his goal to make the listener feel like they were standing at the feet of their favorite band.

"Fidelity is obviously of prime importance," Johns said. "My idea is to make it sound as if you are in the best rehearsal that the band ever did, and you are about 12 feet back from the stage, in a nice rehearsal place...You're supposed to be there and feel them playing."