"The record producer is the music world's equivalent of a film director."

• Born Philip Ramone on Jan. 5, 1934, in South Africa. Died March 30, 2013, in New York, New York
   
• Phil Ramone established A & R Recording, a New York-based independent recording studio, in 1959. His growing reputation as a top producer and engineer led him to work with a huge number of top-tier artists, including John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Elton John, Karen Carpenter, the Band, Quincy Jones, Olivia Newton-John, Gloria Estefan, Sinéad O'Connor, and George Michael.
   
• Ramone won his first career GRAMMY for 1964 for Best Engineered Recording (Non-Classical) for his work on the classic bossa nova album Getz/Gilberto .
   
• Did you know? Ramone produced the music for the 1980 film One Trick Pony, which marked the first use of optical surround sound in a motion picture.
   
• Ramone served as Chairman of The Recording Academy from 1997–1999. He was awarded a Trustees Award in 2001.
   
• He played a vital role in the annual MusiCares Person of the Year gala, participating as music director for the tributes to Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Joel, and Barbra Streisand, among others. The annual gala raises funds for MusiCares, which provides services and resources that cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies for music people.