Philip Ramone

Philip "Phil" Ramone  was an South African–born American recording engineer, record producer, violinist, and composer, who, in 1958, co-founded A & R Recording, Inc., a recording studio at 112 West 48th Street, New York — above what then was Manny's Music. The success of that studio grew into several studios and a record producing company. He was described by Billboard as "legendary", and the BBC as a "CD pioneer".

Ramone was born in South Africa and grew up in Brooklyn. As a child in South Africa, Ramone was a musical prodigy, beginning to play the violin at age three and performing for Elizabeth II at age ten.

In the late 1940s he trained as a classical violinist at The Juilliard School, where one of his classmates was Phil Woods. Ramone opened his own recording studio before he was 20. He became a naturalized citizen of the U.S.A. on December 14, 1953.

In 1959, Ramone established an independent recording studio A & R Recording (the initials were derived from the last initials of Ramone and his then-business partner Jack Arnold). Later the partnership consisted of Brooks Arthur owning half and Ramone, Don Frey, and Arthur Downs Ward (1922–2002) owning the other half.

In the studio he quickly gained a reputation as a sound engineer and music producer, in particular for his use of innovative technology.

Among those whose music he has produced are

• Clay Aiken,
• Burt Bacharach,
• The Band,
• Bono,
• Laura Branigan,
• Ray Charles,
• Karen Carpenter,
• Chicago,
• Peter Cincotti,
• Natalie Cole,
• Bob Dylan,
• Sheena Easton,
• Melissa Errico,
• Gloria Estefan,
• Aretha Franklin,
• Billy Joel,
• Elton John,
• Quincy Jones,
• Patricia Kaas,
• B. B. King,
• Julian Lennon,
• Shelby Lynne,
• Madonna,
• Barry Manilow,
• Richard Marx,
• Paul McCartney,
• George Michael,
• Liza Minnelli,
• Anne Murray,
• Olivia Newton-John,
• Sinéad O'Connor,
• Fito Páez,
• Luciano Pavarotti,
• Peter Paul and Mary,
• Andre Previn,
• Diane Schuur,
• Carly Simon,
• Paul Simon,
• Frank Sinatra,
• Rod Stewart,
• James Taylor,
• The Guess Who,
• Dionne Warwick and
• Stevie Wonder.

He is also credited with recording Marilyn Monroe's intoxicated version of "Happy Birthday to You" to President John F. Kennedy.

His early work in producing and engineering was with jazz artists, working on John Coltrane records and acting as engineer for the landmark Getz/Gilberto album in 1964, for which he won his first Grammy. He transitioned during the 1960s to working with folk-rock, pop-rock, and R&B acts such as Peter, Paul, and Mary, James Taylor, Aretha Franklin, and Bob Dylan, first primarily as an engineer, and later as a producer.

He won his first production Grammy for his work on 1975's Still Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon. His breakthrough album became Billy Joel's 1977 album The Stranger and began a fruitful collaboration that would lead to Ramone producing a string of hit Joel albums throughout the rest of the 1970s and 1980s. In 1993, he produced Duets, Frank Sinatra's comeback album, a commercial hit that peaked at #2 on the Billboard Album Chart. During the rest of the 1990s, Ramone moved from production work to his primary role as an industry executive, serving as chairman of The Recording Academy, though he would still be involved in some studio work including several Broadway cast recordings, as well as helping produce, with Quincy Jones, the televised A Tribute to Brian Wilson in 2001.

October 1, 2012, marked the thirtieth anniversary of the world's first commercially marketed compact disc. On that date in 1982, A & R Recording released a digital compact disc version of Billy Joel's 52nd Street in Japan, alongside Sony's CD player CDP-101.[9]

Ramone introduced optical surround sound for movies.[10] His book, Making Records: The Scenes Behind the Music, written with Chuck Granata, was released on October 9, 2007. Also in October 2007, Ramone produced a limited engagement performance of Richard Vetere's Be My Love: The Mario Lanza Story.[11] The play was directed by Charles Messina and co-produced by Sonny Grosso. It premiered at The Tilles Center in Greenvale, New York[12]

Other professional activities

In addition to producing music, Ramone has numerous concert, film, Broadway and television productions to his credit that include “A Star is Born”, “August Rush”, “Beyond the Sea”, “Flashdance”, “Ghostbusters”, “Midnight Cowboy”, “On Her Majesty's Secret Service”, “Passion”, “Seussical”, “Simon and Garfunkel: The Concert In Central Park”, Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards, “The Score”, VH1/BBC “Party at the Palace: Queen’s Jubilee Concert”, and “The Good Thief”.[13]

Most recent work

On July 8, 2008, Columbia records released The Stranger 30th Anniversary, which features interviews with Ramone. This box set includes a remastered version of the 1977 Billy Joel album, The Stranger by Ramone.[14] The following summer, Ramone produced Gershwin Across America, a tribute album to the music of George and Ira Gershwin. The album features Jewel, Jason Mraz, Darius Rucker, and Paul Simon among others.[15] In 2011, Ramone worked with George Michael, during his 2011 Symphonica Tour.[1]

Personal life

Ramone was married to Karen Ichiuji-Ramone, with whom he had three sons.[10]

Death

Ramone died on March 30, 2013, in a Manhattan hospital after being admitted for surgery.[16][17] His family did not immediately release details.[5]

Awards

Ramone was nominated for 33 Grammy awards, winning 14 including a Technical Grammy Award in 2005 for a lifetime of innovative contributions to the recording industry.[18][19]

• 1965 – Best Engineered Recording (non classical), for Getz/Gilberto
• 1970 – Best Musical Show Album for producing Promises, Promises
• 1976 – Album of the Year for producing Still Crazy After All These Years
• 1979 – Record of the Year for producing "Just the Way You Are"
• 1980 – Album of the Year for producing 52nd Street
• 1981 – Producer of the Year (non classical)
• 1984 – Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special, for Flashdance
• 1995 – Best Musical Show Album for producing Passion
• 2003 – Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, for producing "Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues"
• 2005 – Album of the Year and Best Surround Sound Album for producing Genius Loves Company
• 2006 – Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for producing The Art of Romance
• 2007 – Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for producing Duets: An American Classic
• 2012 – Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for producing Duets II

He also won an Emmy Award in 1973 as sound mixer for "Duke Ellington...We Love You Madly", a tribute to Duke Ellington broadcast on CBS.[3]

Ramone was awarded honorary degrees by Five Towns College, Berklee College of Music, and Skidmore College. He was a member of Berklee's Board of Trustees. He was also awarded a Fellowship by the Audio Engineering Society in 2007.[20]