From CNN: Music producer and engineer Phil Ramone, winner of 14 Grammys and a technical innovator, died Saturday morning in a New York hospital, his son Matt told CNN.
His collaboration credits are a Who’s Who of the music industry: Olivia Newton-John, Burt Bacharach, Bono, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder, just to name a few.
“Our industry has lost an immense talent and a true visionary and genius,” said Neil Portnow, president of The Recording Academy, which had given him a Technical Grammy for his lifetime of innovative contributions to music.
Artists described Ramone, 72, with superlatives.
From Bette Midler: “Phil Ramone, a giant in the recording world; kind beyond words. Goodbye..”
From Elaine Paige: “Such devastating news has just reached me of the passing of the great Phil Ramone. I feel really sad at this loss.”
“This is so shocking. I just performed for his tribute in December,” Aretha Franklin said in a statment. “Truly one of the great names in music has gone on, but the melodies will remain.”
Said Billy Joel: “I always thought of Phil Ramone as the most talented guy in my band…. The music world lost a giant today.”
Ramone made innovations to the compact discs and surround sound technologies, Portnow said.
Ramone’s collaboration with Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon won a total of three Album Of The Year awards, and Ramone won Producer Of The Year (Non Classical) in 1980, The Recording Academy said.
Just a few of my favorite Phil Ramone collaborations:
