George Martin

George Martin
Adamsharp · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	George Martin
Caption	Martin in 2004
Birth name	George Henry Martin
Birth date	3 January 1926
Birth place	Highbury, London, England
Death date	8 March 2016
Death place	Coleshill, Oxfordshire, England
Occupation	Record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, audio engineer
Years active	1950–2016
Associated acts	The Beatles, America, Jeff Beck, Cilla Black, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Dankworth, Shirley Bassey
Spouse	Judy Lockhart Smith, 1966
Children	4, including Giles Martin

George Martin. Sir George Henry Martin was an English record producer, arranger, composer, and conductor, widely regarded as one of the greatest record producers of all time. He is most celebrated for his extensive work with The Beatles, with whom he collaborated on the vast majority of their discography, earning him the enduring nickname "the Fifth Beatle". His innovative studio techniques, classical training, and empathetic guidance were integral to the band's revolutionary artistic development from their early pop recordings to seminal works like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Early life and education

Born in Highbury, London, he was the son of a carpenter and showed an early passion for music, teaching himself piano on an instrument at home. His formal education was at St. Ignatius' College and later at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he studied piano and oboe under Margaret Eliot. After briefly serving in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the latter stages of World War II, he worked for the BBC's Classical Music Department before entering the recording industry.

Career at EMI and Parlophone

In 1950, he joined the EMI family, taking a staff position at the historically comedy and classical-oriented Parlophone label, eventually becoming its head. At Parlophone, he produced a diverse and successful array of recordings, including comedy records with Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan of The Goon Show, jazz with artists like Johnny Dankworth, and early rock and roll hits for acts such as Jim Dale. His work during this period honed his skills in studio efficiency and creative arrangement, preparing him for the seismic shift in popular music that was to come.

Work with The Beatles

After being impressed by a demo tape, he signed the then-unknown The Beatles to Parlophone in 1962, famously suggesting they replace drummer Pete Best with Ringo Starr. His first major contribution was suggesting the rearrangement and faster tempo for their debut hit, "Please Please Me". As their career progressed, his role expanded from a traditional producer to a vital musical collaborator, providing piano on "Misery", the iconic baroque piano solo on "In My Life", and orchestral scores for songs like "Eleanor Rigby" and "I Am the Walrus". He pioneered groundbreaking studio techniques for albums such as *Revolver*, Rubber Soul, and the landmark Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, utilizing tape loops, automatic double tracking, and innovative mixing.

Production work beyond The Beatles

Parallel to and following his work with The Beatles, Martin produced a wide range of other successful artists. He had major hits with singers like Cilla Black ("Anyone Who Had a Heart") and Gerry and the Pacemakers. In the 1970s, he produced acclaimed albums for America (*History: America's Greatest Hits*), Jeff Beck's *Blow by Blow*, and Jimmy Webb. He also worked with Elton John, arranged and conducted for Shirley Bassey, and produced the James Bond theme song "Live and Let Die" for Paul McCartney and Wings.

Later career and legacy

In 1965, he left EMI to found Associated Independent Recording (AIR), one of the world's first independent recording studios. He composed film scores for movies such as *Live and Let Die* and *Yellow Submarine*. In later decades, he supervised the remixing and release of *The Beatles Anthology* project and the *LOVE* album with his son, producer Giles Martin. His immense contribution to music was recognized with a Grammy for *Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band*, a Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution, and a knighthood in 1996. He is frequently cited as a foundational figure in modern record production.

Personal life and death

He was married twice, first to Sheena Chisholm with whom he had two children, and then to Judy Lockhart Smith, a former Parlophone secretary, with whom he had two more, including Giles Martin. He was a keen sailor and lived for many years on the island of Montserrat, where he built the famous AIR Studios Montserrat. In his final years, he suffered from hearing loss and other health issues. He died peacefully at his home in Coleshill, Oxfordshire, in March 2016, at the age of 90.

Category:English record producers Category:English arrangers Category:English conductors Category:1926 births Category:2016 deaths