Phil Ramone Dies At 72


Music producer Phil Ramone has died in New York at the age of 72, his son has confirmed.

Phil Ramone, originally of South Africa, passed away at New York Presbyterian Hospital Saturday, after he was hospitalized in February for an aortic aneurysm.

A retrospective of Ramone’s career reads like a who’s who of music in the 20th century, and the music legend’s roots ran deep — he began learning about music at the early age of three. At 10, he performed for Queen Elizabeth II, and in his teens, attended the revered Julliard in New York.

In the course of his life, Phil Ramone was nominated 33 times for Grammy awards, and won 14 times.

The Hollywood Reporter quoted Ramone as writing a few years back about the process of making music, and he said:

“There’s nothing like the challenge of devising and reproducing an effect you’re looking for … Sometimes that chase is more exciting than the catch.”

In an interview in November, Ramone again reflected, saying:

“You have to be able to run as fast as the artist, capture the magic early on … After a few takes, people start intellectualizing what they’re doing, and it loses something. What’s special happens right away — so you have to be ready for it.”

In a statement, on Ramone’s death, the Recording Academy said the producer was “a pioneer of audio technological developments — creating new innovations for the compact disc and surround sound technologies.”

Phil Ramone is survived by a wife, Karen, and three sons.

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