Died On This Date (March 30, 2013) Phil Ramone / Legendary Record Producer
themusicsover Phil Ramone
January 5, 1941 – March 30, 2013
Phil Ramone was a successful record producer who, over a career that spanned some five decades, was awarded 15 Grammys, one Emmy, and countless other accolades. A child prodigy born in South Africa, Ramone, was playing the violin at age three, and performing for Queen Elizabeth II before he hit his teens. During the ’40s, he moved to the United States where he attended The Julliard School before becoming a U.S. citizen in 1953. In 1959, Ramone opened his own studio, A & R Recording and quickly built a name for himself due to his use of the latest technologies. Artists he went to produce landmark albums with include Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, Chicago and Barbra Streisand. And albums he produced for Ray Charles, Billy Joel, and Paul Simon each went on to earn Album Of The Year awards at the Grammys. Ramone also recorded Marilyn Monroe‘s notorious rendition of “Happy Birthday To You” to President John F. Kennedy. He was also considered one of the industry’s top innovators. In 1982, his digitally recorded version of Billy Joel’s 52nd Street became the first album to be released on compact disc in Japan. He was also largely responsible for Surround Sound for movies. Phil Ramone was 72 when he passed away on March 30, 2013. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Thanks to Paul Bearer for the assist.
Kevin O’Hare was a respected Boston area music critic who also fancied himself a human encyclopedia when it came to music trivia. Although his writings appeared in dozens of periodicals across the US, he called The Republican home since 1982. Starting out as a sports writer, he later became a news writer, and eventually the paper’s senior music writer. His weekly column, “Playback,” included interviews of the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and Paul McCartney who once marveled at how at ease O’Hare put him during his interview. Throughout his career, O’Hare critiqued over 7000 albums and nearly 2000 concerts. During the early ’80s, O’Hare played in the Cardiac Kids who built a sizable regional following. Kevin O’Hare was 55 when he passed away on August 4, 2012. Cause of death was not immediately released but he had been suffering from an undisclosed illness.
Alan Rubin as an American trumpet player who was commonly referred to as Mr. Fabulous. A gifted musician since childhood, Rubin started at the esteemed Julliard School of Music on a scholarship at the age of 17. In 1975, he was hired on as the trumpet player in the original Saturday Night Live band. In 1980, he backed fellow cast members, 
Phoebe Snow was an American singer-songwriter who is perhaps best remembered for her 1975 hit, “Poetry Man.” Regularly exposed to music while growing up, Snow picked up the guitar at an early age. She was still in her teens when she began playing at amateur nights throughout New York’s storied Greenwich Village folk clubs. It was at one of these venues that Snow was discovered by an executive at Shelter Records who signed her and released her self-titled debut album, Phoebe Snow in July of 1974. The album included her Top 5 hit, “Poetry Man.” The album ultimately reached #4 on the Billboard album charts and earned Snow a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, a cover of Rolling Stone, and several memorable appearances on Saturday Night Live. In 1975, Snow gave birth to her severely brain-damaged daughter Valerie, but instead of placing her in a care facility like most, she opted to care for her herself, which she did until Valerie passed away in 2007. Throughout Snow’s career, she released numerous critical and fan favorite albums and performed with a who’s who of pop royalty. That list includes Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Queen, and Bonnie Raitt, to name just a few. In 1997, Snow sang the Rosanne theme during the closing moments of the final episode, and years later, became perhaps the most unlikely person in history to sing at both Camp David (for President Bill Clinton), AND at Howard Stern’s wedding. On January 19, 2010, Phoebe Snow suffered a brain hemorrhage and was placed in a medically induced coma. She briefly regained consciousness but ultimately passed away on April 26, 2011. She was 58.
