Michael Omartian

Michael Omartian (born November 26, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, keyboardist, and music producer. He has been a participant in numerous albums during a career that has spanned more than four decades. As a producer, he has had number-one records in three consecutive decades. He is a multiple Grammy Award winner, including for Keyboardist of the Year and Producer 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 an in-house producer and A&R staff member. Omartian 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 Omartian
Born (1945-11-26) November 26, 1945
OriginEvanston, Illinois, U.S.
GenresContemporary Christian, pop, rock, R&B
Occupation(s)Composer, musician, record producer
InstrumentsPiano, organ, synthesizers
Years active1970–present
Associated actsSteely Dan, Rhythm Heritage, Stormie Omartian, 2nd Chapter of Acts
Websitemichaelomartian.com

Omartian has produced albums for a number of artists including Clint Black, Michael Bolton, Dolly Parton, Debby Boone, Steve Camp, Peter Cetera, Christopher Cross, Joe "Bean" Esposito, Amy Grant, Benny Hester, Whitney Houston, The Imperials, The Jacksons, Cliff Richard, Rod Stewart, Donna Summer, Wayne Watson, and Trisha Yearwood.

Life and career

Omartian was born in Evanston, Illinois, of Armenian descent.[1]

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, Johnny Rivers, Seals and Crofts, Al Jarreau, and Loggins & Messina.[2][3][4]

Omartian has recorded a number of highly polished contemporary Christian music albums under his own name, including White Horse, Mainstream, Adam Again, and Conversations (an instrumental album). Virtually all of his solo albums are now out of print. Omartian has also produced several Christian albums for others, most notably for The Imperials on the award-winning albums One More Song for You (1979) and Priority (1980).

In 1980, thanks to the Christopher Cross debut album, Omartian was nominated for ten Grammy Awards, winning three, including Producer of the Year.[5]

In 1985, Omartian was arranger and a keyboard player for the No. 1 hit "We Are the World" by a supergroup of popular musicians billed as USA for Africa.[6]

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-language 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.[7] 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 in video format.[8]

Omartian is the first producer in recording history to have number-one records in three separate decades—the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.[5] He has been nominated for Producer of the Year three times, in 1980, 1984, and 1986.[9] In 1991 he was nominated for Album of the Year for Heart in Motion by Amy Grant.[9] In 1995 he was nominated for Country Song of the Year for "When Love Finds You," with Vince Gill, and for Gospel Album of the Year for The Light Inside, with Gary Chapman.[9] In 1994 Omartian produced One Voice, an album for the Summer Olympic Games.[10] His song "Atlanta Reel" was used as the theme for the swimming events.[10]

Discography
Main article: Michael Omartian discography
  • White Horse (1974)
  • Adam Again (1977)
  • Seasons of the Soul (1979)
  • Mainstream (1982)
  • Conversations (1986)
  • The Race (1991)

Awards

Grammy Awards In 1980, he was nominated for ten Grammy Awards, three of which he won for producing and arranging on Christopher Cross' debut album:

GMA Dove Awards

References
  1. Kaufman, Gil (April 22, 2009). "Kris Allen's 'She Works Hard For The Money': The Story Behind The Cover – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  2. Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny (November 26, 1945). "Michael Omartian | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  3. "53. Adam Again – Michael Omartian | CCM's 500 Best Albums Of All Time". Ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  4. "Michael Omartian". Ccmclassic.com. November 26, 1945. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  5. "Michael Omartian | Yamaha Artists". Yamaha.com. November 26, 1945. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  6. "Performers From USA For Africa's "We Are The World"". In The 80s. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  7. Herring, Buck. "One on One (Annie's newest release 2006)". Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
  8. "2nd Chapter Of Acts And Michael And Stormie Omartian – Together Live". Discogs]. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
  9. "Artist Michael Omartian". grammy.com. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  10. "Michael Omartian | Yamaha Artists". Yamaha.com. June 15, 2019. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  11. Ankeny, Jason. "Biography: Michael Omartian". AllMusic. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
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