Life
Phil Ramone was born January 5, 1934 in South Africa, where he learned to play the piano and violin at the age of three. Early on, Phil was considered a child prodigy, playing for the Queen of England at the age of 10. Mentors of Ramone’s advised him to leave South Africa and move to New York City, the music capitol of the world at the time, to attend the Julliard School of Music, and Phil did just that. Through Phil’s high school career, he composed and performed quite a bit, though nothing caught his attention more than the technical aspects of recording music. He was fascinated, spending much of his time in recording studios watching how it was done. Phil’s interest led to his establishing a recording studio before he was 20: A & R Recording.
Some of Ramone’s earliest work was done with the great jazz musicians of the day. Word quickly got around the city that Phil was an outstanding studio engineer and producer, and he began working with many artists, including John Coltrane and Stan Getz. It was Phil’s work with Getz that won the producer his first Grammy in 1964, for Best Engineered Recording.
During the late ’60s Phil began his transition from jazz to pop/rock, r&b, and folk music; he began engineering, and later producing, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, and others. Phil’s work as an engineer and producer for these artists landed him the role of producer on Paul Simon’s 1975 album Still Crazy After All These Years. Phil won his first Grammy as a producer for this record, and two years later he landed a job that would solidify his place in pop music for the rest of his career.
In 1977, Ramone signed on to be the Producer for Billy Joel’s The Stranger. This album was particularly important for Joel; without Ramone, he may have been dropped by Columbia, having not released a hit record since “Piano Man.” The next year, Phil won record of the year at the Grammys for producing “Just The Way You Are.” Joel had a world tour on the success of his platinum record, and Ramone produced almost every Billy Joel album to follow. Joel’s 52nd Street was one of the first albums released on compact disc, pioneered by Ramone.
Billy Joel The Stranger (Full Album)
The huge success that came from The Stranger led to Ramone’s becoming one of the most sought-after producers/engineers in the business. He soon went on to work with artists like Carly Simon, Chicago, Paul McCartney, The Carpenters, Ray Charles, Paul Simon once again, and many more artists.
Phil continued his work through the ’80s, and when Billy Joel released his last album in 1993, (?) Phil went on to produce large events, tapering off on his album production work.
Even after all the success he’d gained from working with so many outstanding artists, in 1993 Phil had landed every producer’s dream at the time: Frank Sinatra’s comeback Duets album. Sinatra was known for never sharing a studio with the artists he duetted with, but Ramone used his expansive technical knowledge and found a way to record different elements of the album in different locations while still sounding cohesive. The success of Sinatra’s comeback led to a second Duets album, with Phil as producer once again.
Through the ’90s, Phil turned his focus much more towards the industry and its growing technology. Phil became the chairman of NARAS; he formed a shortlived record label in 1996; and in 1999 became a senior advisor to Lucent Technology in its efforts to develop internet downloading technology. At the turn of the century, Phil was almost exclusively working on production for large events, concerts, etc., but in the early 2000s Phil worked extensively with Elton John, Rod Stewart, and Ray Charles. He even produced on Ray Charles’ last record, winning Ramone multiple Grammys. Phil also became chairman of the Recording Academy.
Phil continued working, hardly showing signs of slowing down at all, until his passing on March 30th, 2013 in a Manhattan hospital. Countless industry icons and artists did not hesitate to remark on Ramone’s genius as a producer, engineer, and artist. His vision was clear, and it was always in evidence throughout his 50-plus-year career.
Phil Ramone LEGENDS Interview
Technological Contributions
Not only was Phil Ramone an amazing musician in his own right and a top producer with a sensible ear, but he was an innovator in recording and industry technology as well. Phil always believed that technology would drive the music industry to develop, and worked tirelessly to see that vision through. From the beginnings of his label, A&R Records, he found new and innovative ways to place microphones within acoustic spaces to get an optimal sound from acoustic instruments. He also used the sound board to affect reverb, EQ, and tone.
His interest in technology went from the studio and control room to pioneering the ways in which music was sold: Phil was a founding member of the Music & Engineering Technology Alliance (META). META worked with both producers and engineers to ensure for the best production quality for recordings in the industry.
Phil Ramone and Berklee
Phil Ramone had a history of encouraging young people to pursue music — not just as a career, but in every aspect of life. He would never hesitate to help students with their goals in music, and has been recognized for his passion for passing on his love of music to younger generations. Phil served on the board of Berklee College of Music for quite some time, where he also received an honorary doctoratee degree. He has worked alongside many Berklee professors and students in enriching projects. After working on the film August Rush, Ramone helped to bring about an original performance of the music from the film’s soundtrack at Boston’s Symphony Hall.
Phil Ramone has left his mark on the music industry. He has affected the way we listen to, record, and distribute music — all for the better. Phil is among the greatest figures the contemporary music business has known.
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