Lou Adler’s name is instantly recognizable to most people. He is one of the most successful and well-known music producers of all time, an entertainment legend in his own right, identified inextricably with Los Angeles’ musical culture.

Often spotted at Los Angeles Lakers games sitting alongside his pal Jack Nicholson, this seriously cool figure has long been a pivotal pop-culture force in his own right.

Whatever your California dream happens to have been over the past half century, chances are he was somewhere behind the scenes, helping make it come true.