Music Producer Phil Ramone

47:22

October 23, 2007

Rebroadcast

The man behind hits by Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Rufus Wainwright, and many more. We’ll talk with legendary music producer Phil Ramone.

Music producer Phil Ramone, responsible for such hits as the soundtrack to the film "Flashdance," and Billy Joe's "Tell Her About It" is so used to staying "behind the scenes," that interviews centering around his accomplishments make him somewhat ill at ease, Oct. 24, 1983. (AP)

Legendary pop music producer Phil Ramone was a violin prodigy and Julliard kid who got started early on the glam side of the pop music business. When Marilyn Monroe sang Happy Birthday for JFK at Madison Square Garden in 1962, it was Phil Ramone adjusting the mike.

When Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, BB King, Paul McCartney, Streisand, Madonna, Bono, Paul Simon, Billy Joel and you wouldn’t believe how many others came into the studio, it was Phil Ramone waiting to produce them.

You could argue he made the sound of American pop.

In an archive edition of On Point, we talk with legendary music producer Phil Ramone
-Tom Ashbrook

Guest

Phil Ramone, music producer. His new book is "Making Records: The Scenes Behind the Music."

This program aired on October 23, 2007.