Michael Omartian
Michael Omartian (* November 26, 1945 in Evanston, Illinois ) is a three time Grammy - excellent American music producer and multi-instrumentalist.
Life
Omartian began at the age of four years playing the piano and shortly afterwards he also played drums. He studied at Tarkio College in Missouri and Northwestern University. In 1970 he moved to California to build a career as a musician. He first worked as a studio musician among other things, Steely Dan, Billy Joel and the Four Tops to the well-established by him were instruments in addition to the keyboards, among other tabla, accordion, tambourine and Steel Drum. In 1974, he released his first solo album. However, neither this nor his other solo releases was granted a commercial success. In 1975 he got a job as a music producer at ABC Records. In the same year he founded with producer Steve Barri, the band Rhythm Heritage, with the Theme from SWAT in February 1976, a number -one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 had. The following year he moved to Warner Brothers Records. From the beginning of the 1980 years he worked as a freelance music producer.
His biggest success as a music producer, he and Christopher Cross. He produced his albums and Christopher Cross Another Page and the resulting coupled- Singles Sailing, Ride Like the Wind, and Arthur's Theme ( Best That You Can Do ). Omartian received for this 1980 three Grammys, Best Background Arrangement and Grammy Award for Record of the Year for the single Sailing and Album Of The Year for the album Christopher Cross. As a result, he produced artists such as Kenny Loggins, Jennifer Rush, Rod Stewart, Cliff Richard and Jermaine Jackson, including albums such as Solitude / Solitaire Peter Cetera, which contained a worldwide hit with Glory of Love.
In addition, he was beside Quincy Jones Co - producer of We Are the World. As a composer, he worked among others for Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Al Jarreau and Richard Marx. Along with Donna Summer, he wrote their hit single, She Works Hard for the Money. As an arranger, he worked with, among others, to recordings of Gladys Knight, The Righteous Brothers and Dusty Springfield.
Omartian Stormie Omartian is married to, an author of Christian books and former background singer, among others, Glen Campbell, Neil Diamond and Ray Charles since 1973. Together, they released five albums with Christian pop music. The couple has three children.
Compositions (selection )
- Charm the Snake - Christopher Cross
- Every Turn of the World - Christopher Cross
- When Love Finds You - Vince Gill
- That's What Love Is For - Amy Grant
- Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin - Jermaine Jackson
- Boogie Down - Al Jarreau
- Rhythm of Life - Richard Marx
- Fool For Your Love - Dolly Parton & Leo Sayer
- She Works Hard for the Money - Donna Summer
- Unconditional Love - Donna Summer