Phil Ramone
	Photo by Bob Kramer

Original Appointment: June 2001

Phil Ramone is one of the most respected and prolific music producers in the recording industry.

With 31 Grammy nominations, 13 Grammy Awards, an Emmy, and numerous honors and accolades to his credit, Ramone's musical acumen and his use of audio technology are unmatched among his peers. Acknowledged as one of the top creative producers, Ramone has also played an integral role in pioneering many of the technological developments in the music industry over the years. He ardently supported the use of the compact disc, digital video disc, hi-definition recording, and surround sound. Appropriately, the first CD ever pressed, Billy Joel's 52nd Street, was a Phil Ramone production, as was the first pop DVD release, Dave Grusin Presents West Side Story. His use of a fiber optics system (EDNet) to record tracks in "real time" from different locations for Frank Sinatra's Duets I & II was a groundbreaking achievement. In 2005, Ramone was a recipient of the first Grammy given for Best Surround Sound Album, Ray Charles's Genius Loves Company, and he was also awarded a Technical Grammy for his lifetime of innovative contributions to the recording industry.

Ramone's unique skills make him invaluable to the artists with whom he works. His impeccable list of credits includes collaborations with such diverse artists as Burt Bacharach, Tony Bennett, Bono, Ray Charles, Chicago, Natalie Cole, Bob Dylan, Gloria Estefan, Renee Fleming, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Elton John, Quincy Jones, BB King, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Liza Minnelli, Sinead O'Connor, Luciano Pavarotti, Peter, Paul and Mary, Andre Previn, Carly Simon, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, Phoebe Snow, Rod Stewart, Sting, and Barbra Streisand.

Ramone has long been recognized for the diversity of his work, as evidenced by his recent recordings with artists ranging from James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban, and the Dixie Chicks to Michael Buble, John Legend, and Juanes. He is currently in the studio with Tony Bennett, both recipients of a 2006 Grammy for The Art of Romance. The new Tony Bennett duets project, slated for a September release, pairs Tony with some of the industry's most honored musicians, including Bono, Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Barbra Streisand, and Sting.

A passionate fan of all forms of entertainment, Ramone has numerous concert, film, Broadway, and television productions to his credit including A Star Is Born, 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 Queens Jubilee Party at the Palace, and The Good Thief.

Ramone is also extremely active in music and service-related organizations. He is the chairman emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) and the Producers and Engineers Wing, and is a trustee of the MusiCares Foundation, producing their annual pre-Grammy tribute (honorees include James Taylor, Brian Wilson, Sting, Bono, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Elton John, and Luciano Pavarotti). Ramone is a champion of music programs in public schools to ensure that children have the opportunity to foster their musical talents, and serves on the boards of the National Mentoring Partnership and Berklee College of Music, which celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2006 with Ramone at the helm of a star-studded gala, including performances by Paul Simon, Gloria Estefan, Herbie Hancock, Michel Camilo, Juan Luis Guerra, and Bill Cosby, among others. Ramone serves on the National Advisory Board of the Henry Mancini Institute and Five Towns College. He is also a trustee of the Academy of Popular Music and the National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress. He is a founding member of META (the Music and Engineering Technology Alliance), an elite group of producers and engineers facilitating the establishment of high-quality music recording and delivery by uniting audio professionals, consumer electronics manufacturers, music enthusiasts, and technology providers.