George Martin, Beatles Producer, Has Died
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Sir George Martin, the iconic producer best known for his work with the Beatles, has died. Ringo Starr confirmed the news on Twitter. He was 90. Update (3/9 8:21 a.m.): Paul McCartney has penned a tribute to Martin on his website. Read an extract below.
Martin, often called “the Fifth Beatle,” gave the Beatles their first recording contract and produced virtually all of their music (aside from the work Phil Spector did on Let It Be). He was born in London in 1926, and after leaving the Navy in 1947, he studied piano and oboe. In the 1950s, he recorded jazz, lounge, and comedy records for Parlophone, where he eventually became head of A&R.
He was a prolific producer beyond his work with the Beatles, helming records by Kate Bush, Jeff Beck, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cilla Black, America, Billy J. Kramer, Cheap Trick, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Celine Dion, the Action, and solo efforts by Starr and Paul McCartney. He produced Elton John’s 1997 single “Candle in the Wind,” which is one of the best-selling songs of all time. He won several Grammy Awards over the years and was nominated for an Oscar for his work on A Hard Day’s Night. He was knighted in 1996.
God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family love Ringo and Barbara George will be missed xxx
— #RingoStarr (@ringostarrmusic) March 9, 2016
Thank you for all your love and kindness George peace and love xxpic.twitter.com/um2hRFB7qF
— #RingoStarr (@ringostarrmusic) March 9, 2016
R.I.P. George Martin. I’m so gutted I don’t have many words. Thinking of Judy and Giles and… https://t.co/3Nc8sCgRpN
— Sean Ono Lennon (@seanonolennon) March 9, 2016
Update: Paul McCartney wrote:
I’m so sad to hear the news of the passing of dear George Martin. I have so many wonderful memories of this great man that will be with me forever. He was a true gentleman and like a second father to me. He guided the career of The Beatles with such skill and good humour that he became a true friend to me and my family. If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George. From the day that he gave The Beatles our first recording contract, to the last time I saw him, he was the most generous, intelligent and musical person I’ve ever had the pleasure to know.
It’s hard to choose favourite memories of my time with George, there are so many but one that comes to mind was the time I brought the song ‘Yesterday’ to a recording session and the guys in the band suggested that I sang it solo and accompany myself on guitar. After I had done this George Martin said to me, “Paul I have an idea of putting a string quartet on the record”. I said, “Oh no George, we are a rock and roll band and I don’t think it’s a good idea”. With the gentle bedside manner of a great producer he said to me, “Let us try it and if it doesn’t work we won’t use it and we’ll go with your solo version”. I agreed to this and went round to his house the next day to work on the arrangement.
He took my chords that I showed him and spread the notes out across the piano, putting the cello in the low octave and the first violin in a high octave and gave me my first lesson in how strings were voiced for a quartet. When we recorded the string quartet at Abbey Road, it was so thrilling to know his idea was so correct that I went round telling people about it for weeks. …
The world has lost a truly great man who left an indelible mark on my soul and the history of British music.
God bless you George and all who sail in you!
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