William Frank Szymczyk (/ˈsɪmzɪk/; born February 13, 1943) is an American music producer and recording engineer best known for working with rock and blues musicians, most notably the Eagles in the 1970s.

He produced many top albums and singles of the 1970s, though—aside from continuing to work with Joe Walsh—he retired from the music business in 1990.

He re-emerged in the late 2000s, taking on select projects including the 2007 Eagles album Long Road Out of Eden and the 2008 eponymous debut of Brian Vander Ark.

[1] His mother worked as a nurse, and his father held several jobs, including factory worker and maintenance at a school.

Upon leaving in 1964, and without much of an idea of what to do for a post-military career, he enrolled at New York University's Media Arts School.

[3] He left the Hit Factory and took a job at ABC Records, taking a large pay cut in exchange for the opportunity to move from engineer to producer.

He produced his follow-up studio album Completely Well, which featured "The Thrill Is Gone", the biggest hit of King's career and his signature song.

He would be the sole producer for the next three Eagles studio albums, including 1976's Hotel California, the first to feature Joe Walsh.

During this time period, Szymczyk produced such hit singles as Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell in Love",[10] the Who's "You Better You Bet", the Eagles' "Hotel California",[10] and Bob Seger's "Against the Wind".

[5] Aside from continuing to work with Joe Walsh, he retired from the music industry in 1990,[3] and then re-emerged in 2005, producing Dishwalla's self-titled fourth album.

He returned to work with the Eagles on the 2007 album Long Road Out of Eden, and followed that with the 2008 solo debut of ex-Verve Pipe singer Brian Vander Ark.

The Eagles brought him in to refine and improve their "rock" sound,[3] and all of their biggest selling albums and songs were Szymczyk-produced.