It was 100 years ago today! Producer George Martin was born January 3rd, 1926. It's interesting to see how one person can make a difference in so many lives. For anyone who saw Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life again over the holidays, the idea is probably fresh in your mind. Just as one person can act as a catalyst for others in daily life, so can a person conduct mass culture over the course of their career. Sir George Martin was the "man with the golden ear." Blessed with musical genius and a sense of humor, Martin was a bit like the Wizard of Oz- the man behind the curtain- whose work as a producer and arranger elevated music and comedy in the last half of the 20th Century (and beyond!). The artists he worked with included Flanders and Swann, Peter Ustinov, The Goons, Peter Sellers, Sophia Loren, Beyond the Fringe (with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore), Matt Monro (of From Russia With Love), Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cellia Black, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, Jeff Beck, Elton John, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Paul Winter Consort, and America. In addition to multiple Grammys and other major awards, George Martin scored 30 #1 hits in the UK and 23 #1 hits in the US. (See Spy Vibe's article Peter Sellers to John Lennon and Peter Sellers posts for more about comedy in the UK). Of special interest to Spy Vibers, Martin also produced two James Bond theme songs: the Goldfinger (1965) single with Shirley Bassey and the Live and Let Die (1973) theme with Paul McCartney and soundtrack.
George Martin was most famous as the producer/arranger behind The Beatles. When the Fab Four were struggling to get a recording contract, it was a shared sense of humor that ultimately won Martin over and sealed the deal. The producer appreciated their irreverent humor and committed himself to recording the band. Martin's expertise fostered musical experimentation throughout the 1960s, allowing The Beatles to push their songs into new territory. Martin often contributed as keyboard player in the studio, in addition to arranging the accompaniment to well-know songs like Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, and Penny Lane. I once got to see him speak about the making of SGT. Pepper, which was really fascinating and quite a thrill. Below: Martin with Paul McCartney.
Sue Lawley chatted with George Martin on Desert Island Discs on November 19th, 1995 (Listen here). In the program he talked about his earning money for piano lessons as a kid, his career during Britain's satire boom of the 1950s and early 1960s, and his signing and collaborating with The Beatles starting in 1962. George Martin's discs included The Beatles, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Benjamin Britten, and George Gershwin. He was also the subject of a wonderful documentary film in 2012 called Produced by George Martin, which went deeper into his career with EMI's Parlaphone label and the founding of his own Air Studios. It's hard to imagine what the world would have been like if he hadn't been there to help bring talents like Peter Sellers and The Beatles to our attention. Sir George, we thank you for your magic. George Martin passed away on March 8, 2016. Below: Martin with Peter Sellers. Amazingly, Martin shared a birthday with Mona Best (born 1924), who was pivotal in creating the Casbah Club and fostering the evolution (and later career) of The Beatles. Her son, Pete, was the band's original drummer from their tenure in Hamburg up to their first Parlophone session. Happy Heavenly Birthday to George & Mona!
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