Michael Omartian

All Music Guide:

A solo artist, producer, and composer who enjoyed success in both the secular and CCM arenas, Michael Omartian first surfaced during the early '70s as a top session keyboardist, playing on albums by artists ranging from Steely Dan to the Four Tops to Loggins & Messina before making his solo debut with 1974's Myrrh label release White Horse. In 1975, he and producer Steve Barri formed the Los Angeles studio group Rhythm Heritage, topping the pop charts early the following year with their theme to the ABC television series S.W.A.T.; "Baretta's Theme (Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow)" appeared in 1976, but was the unit's last effort of note. After helming Alan O'Day's 1977 chart-topper "Undercover Angel," Omartian graduated to the top ranks of producers through his work with singer/songwriter Christopher Cross, collaborating on a series of hits including the Grammy winning "Sailing," "Ride Like the Wind," and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)." From there, he produced sessions for Rod Stewart and Donna Summer, focusing increasingly on CCM projects in the years to follow through work with Gary Chapman, Kathy Troccoli, and 4 Him. In addition to his solo releases, Omartian also recorded several albums with his wife, Stormie.

Wikipedia:

Michael Omartian (born November 26, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter, keyboardist, and music producer. He has been a participant in numerous albums, during a career that has spanned over 38 years. He is the first producer in recording history to have No. 1 records in three consecutive decades. He is a multiple Grammy Award winner, including a Grammy for keyboardist of the year. He spent five years on the A&R staff of ABC/Dunhill Records, as a producer, artist and arranger. He was subsequently hired by Warner Bros. Records as a producer and A&R staff member. Michael moved from Los Angeles to Nashville in 1993, where he served on the Board of Governors of the Recording Academy and has helped to shape the curriculum for the first Master’s Degree program in the field of Music Business at Belmont University.

Michael has produced albums for several artists including Rod Stewart, Cliff Richard, Christopher Cross, Michael Bolton, Whitney Houston, the Jacksons, Trisha Yearwood, Clint Black, Donna Summer, Joe "Bean" Esposito, Peter Cetera, Benny Hester, Steve Camp, The Imperials, Amy Grant, and Steely Dan. In 1985 Michael Omartian, along with Quincy Jones, co-produced the No. 1 hit "We Are the World" by a supergroup of popular musicians billed as USA for Africa.

Life and career

Omartian was born in Evanston, Illinois. He is of Armenian descent.

In the late 1960s, Omartian helped launch Campus Crusade for Christ's new music outreach group, "The New Folk." In that capacity he arranged much of the music and assisted in training the singers. He was also a founding member of the 1970s disco-funk band Rhythm Heritage, and he also played as a session musician for artists including Koinonia, Steely Dan, The Four Tops, Seals and Crofts and Loggins & Messina.

Omartian has recorded a number of highly polished contemporary Christian music albums under his own name, including White Horse, Adam Again, Conversations (an instrumental album). Virtually all of his solo albums are now out-of-print. Omartian produced several Christian albums, most notably for The Imperials on the award-winning albums "Priority" and "One More Song For You" – which were produced in Omartian's basement studio on tight budgets.

In 2003, Omartian scored an audio book rendition of the biblical gospels, called "Gospels Come To Life". The audio Bible was read by fellow CCM writer/musician Michael W. Smith, based on musical ideas by Smith. The Spanish version of this audio Bible was narrated by CCM artist, Jaci Velasquez.

Toward the end of 2006 he contributed to an album with Annie Herring (of 2nd Chapter of Acts) called One on One, he plays piano as the solo instrument throughout with Herring providing vocals. One on One was his second collaboration with Herring; the first being the 1983 album Together Live, a collaborative, in-concert effort with Herring's family trio, 2nd Chapter of Acts, and Omartian's wife, Stormie. The live double-LP album was recorded in 1982 at The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California. The album was also released on in video format.

Omartian is one of the few producers in recording history to have number one records in three consecutive decades (1970s, 80s and 90s). Others in this group include George Martin (1964, 1970 and 1982) for example.

Awards

In one year alone, he was nominated for ten Grammy Awards, three of which he won for producing and arranging on Christopher Cross' debut album: