Phil Ramone, 1941-2013

It’s hard to imagine one person so diverse in his musical talents as to have successfully recorded key sessions with:

• Stan Getz & João Gilberto (Getz/Gilberto)
• Wes Montgomery (Far Wes)
• Burt Bacharach (Casino Royale)
• Dionne Warwick (Valley of the Dolls)
• The Free Design (Kites Are Fun)
• Elton John (11-17-70)
• The Band (Rock of Ages and Before the Flood)
• Paul Simon (Paul Simon, There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, Still Crazy After All These Years and The Rhythm of the Saints)
• Art Garfunkel (Breakaway)
• Simon & Garfunkel (The Concert in Central Park)
• Liza Minnelli (Liza with a “Z”)
• Phoebe Snow (Phoebe Snow)
• Alice Cooper (Welcome to My Nightmare)
• Barbra Streisand (A Star is Born)
• Billy Joel (The Stranger, 52nd Street and Glass Houses)
• Ray Charles (Genius Loves Company)

And many dozens more.

But such was the music industry giant Phil Ramone, who engineered and produced records – both legendary and obscure – for more than fifty years, and who passed away March 30, 2013 at the age of 72.