Phil Ramone

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Phil Ramone is a violinist, composer, recording engineer, and innovative record producer.

Related Topics:
Violinist - Composer - Recording engineer - Record producer

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As a young child in South Africa, Ramone was a musical prodigy, beginning to play the violin at age three and perfoming for Queen Elizabeth II at age ten. In the late 1940s he trained as a classical violinist at The Juilliard School, where one classmate of his was Phil Woods.

Related Topics:
South Africa - Prodigy - Elizabeth II - 1940s - The Juilliard School - Phil Woods

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In 1961 he established an independent recording studio, A & R Recording. There 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 Burt Bacharach, Ray Charles, Chicago, Natalie Cole, Bob Dylan, Gloria Estefan, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Elton John, Quincy Jones, B. B. King, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Sinéad O'Connor, Luciano Pavarotti, Andre Previn, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, Rod Stewart, and James Taylor. He is also credited with recording Marilyn Monroe's rendition of Happy Birthday to You to President John F. Kennedy.

Related Topics:
1961 - A & R Recording - Burt Bacharach - Ray Charles - Chicago - Natalie Cole - Bob Dylan - Gloria Estefan - Aretha Franklin - Billy Joel - Elton John - Quincy Jones - B. B. King - Madonna - Paul McCartney - Sinéad O'Connor - Luciano Pavarotti - Andre Previn - Paul Simon - Frank Sinatra - Rod Stewart - James Taylor - Marilyn Monroe - Happy Birthday to You - John F. Kennedy

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Among the technical innovations he introduced at A&R are four-track recorders, optical surround sound for movies, and digital recording techniques. His studio was the first to release music commercially on compact disc; Joel's 52nd Street was the first album to be broadly released on the medium.

Related Topics:
Surround sound - Compact disc - 52nd Street

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Ramone has been awarded honorary degrees by Five Towns College and Berklee College of Music. He is also on Berklee's Board of Trustees.

Related Topics:
Five Towns College - Berklee College of Music - Board of Trustees

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