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| Michael Omartian | |
|---|---|
| Name | Michael Omartian |
| Birth date | 1945-11-26 |
| Birth place | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Contemporary Christian music, Pop music, Rock music, Gospel music, AOR |
| Occupations | Musician, record producer, composer, arranger |
| Instruments | Piano, keyboards, organ |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
| Labels | Myrrh Records, Warner Bros. Records, Capitol Records, A&M Records |
Michael Omartian is an American keyboardist, producer, arranger, and songwriter whose career spans Contemporary Christian music, Pop music, Rock music, and Gospel music. He rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s producing hit records, collaborating with prominent performers, and shaping the sound of studio production across genres. Known for his work as a session musician and producer, he has influenced artists and producers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and beyond.
Michael Omartian was born in Chicago and raised in a musical family with ties to Nashville, Tennessee and the broader Midwestern United States. He studied piano and music theory as a youth, performing in local venues influenced by Rhythm and Blues, Gospel music, and Country music. Omartian attended conservatory-type studies and participated in studio sessions in regional music hubs including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, connecting with session players from the Wrecking Crew, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, and other studio collectives. Early collaborations put him in contact with arrangers and producers linked to Phil Spector, Quincy Jones, George Martin, and contemporaries active in the 1960s recording boom.
Omartian's career as a session keyboardist expanded into arranging and production work with artists across the United States and United Kingdom. He contributed to recordings associated with labels such as A&M Records, Warner Bros. Records, Capitol Records, Myrrh Records, and independent imprints. His studio work placed him alongside session musicians and producers who worked with The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Don Henley. As a producer and arranger, Omartian worked on projects connected to songwriters and performers like Carole King, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen. He relocated between recording centers including Los Angeles, Nashville, and international studios in London, Toronto, and Stockholm to oversee sessions and orchestral arrangements.
Omartian produced and arranged landmark albums and singles for a wide range of artists. Notable collaborations include productions and keyboard work for Christopher Cross, whose self-titled album yielded major hits and acclaim; sessions with Stevie Nicks and members of Fleetwood Mac; production roles on records by Amy Grant, Peter Cetera, Air Supply, Rod Stewart, Donna Summer, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon, Bono-related projects, and ensembles involving Chicago (band). He arranged strings and keyboards for film scores and television projects with composers linked to Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Ennio Morricone, and contemporary media soundtracks. Omartian's own solo recordings and Contemporary Christian albums were released on Myrrh Records and crossed into mainstream charts during the 1970s and 1980s, intersecting with touring artists and industry executives from MCA Records, Sony Music, and Universal Music Group.
Omartian's keyboard technique and production aesthetic reflect influences from Gospel music, Soul music, R&B, Jazz, and classic Pop music arrangements. His harmonic approach draws on traditions exemplified by Stevie Wonder, Billy Preston, Ray Charles, Donny Hathaway, and jazz pianists such as Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Bill Evans. As an arranger he employed orchestral voicings reminiscent of George Martin and horn arrangements akin to those on records by The Temptations and Earth, Wind & Fire. Production techniques in his work parallel advances made by engineers and producers like Tom Dowd, Phil Ramone, Glyn Johns, and Bob Clearmountain, combining analog warmth with modern multitrack layering.
Omartian has received industry accolades for production, songwriting, and performance, including multiple Grammy Awards and recognition from GMA Dove Awards, reflecting his contributions to Contemporary Christian and mainstream music. Projects he produced garnered nominations and wins at ceremonies alongside artists who have been honored by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, Songwriters Hall of Fame members, and winners of Academy Awards for music. His work on breakthrough albums achieved chart success on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot 100, and received industry certifications from organizations equivalent to RIAA.
Omartian's personal life includes long-standing ties to faith communities and church music ministries, associations with fellow musicians and producers in Los Angeles and Nashville, and family connections within the music industry. He has maintained relationships with artists, session players, and executives across labels such as A&M Records, Warner Bros. Records, and Capitol Records, and has participated in panels and masterclasses at institutions like Berklee College of Music, USC Thornton School of Music, and music industry conferences in London and Nashville.
Omartian's legacy is visible in the production values of Contemporary Christian music, adult contemporary, and pop records from the 1970s onward. Producers and arrangers cite his approach alongside that of Quincy Jones, Phil Ramone, George Martin, Arif Mardin, and Daniel Lanois when discussing orchestration, keyboard textures, and vocal production. His session work and production influenced artists and producers working with Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Adele, Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys, and contemporary crossover acts who blend secular and faith-rooted music. Collections of session credits, liner notes, and retrospective compilations place his contributions alongside those of The Wrecking Crew, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, The Funk Brothers, and leading studio orchestras, underscoring his role in shaping modern recording practices.
Category:American record producers Category:American keyboardists Category:Contemporary Christian musicians