Few non-performers can qualify for status among the most influential musicians of all time, but nobody could deny Phil Spector’s touch on the music industry.

Despite whatever your opinion may be of the man, his work was incredibly influential, and he made some of the most important and just plain fun records of all time. His career follows a near-perfect trajectory for a tragic biography, so we will tell his story in two parts. Today’s show covers the incredible rise of his career. Next week, we will focus on his slide into oblivion, and beyond.

Here are the tracks covered in this program;

1) To Know Him Is to Love Him – The Teddy Bears

2) Spanish Harlem – Ben E. King

3) On Broadway – The Drifters

4) Corinne, Corinna – Ray Peterson

5) He’s a Rebel – The Crystals

6) Da Doo Ron Ron – The Crystals

7) Then He Kissed Me – The Crystals

8) Be My baby – The Ronettes

9) Baby I Love You – The Ronettes

10) Walking in the Rain – The Ronettes

11) Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Darlene Love