He’s occasionally called “the Fifth Beatle” in reference to his extensive involvement on every one of the Beatles’ first records. He’s regarded as among the best record producers ever, with 30 number one hit singles in the UK and 23 number one hits in America.
Following his graduation, he worked for the BBC’s classical music section, subsequently joined EMI in 1950. Martin made comedy and novelty records in the early 1950s, working with Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan, amongst others.
In a career spanning over six decades, Martin has worked in music, movie, television and live performance. He’s also held several senior executive jobs at media businesses and gives to an extensive array of charitable causes, including his work for the Prince’s Trust as well as the Caribbean island of Montserrat. In acknowledgement of his services to the music business and popular culture, he was made a Knight Bachelor in 1996.
Martin was right: Gerry & the Pacemakers’ variant, which Martin made, spent three weeks at No. 1 in April 1963 before being displaced by “From Me to You”. Starr was requested to play tambourine and maracas, and although he abode, he was undoubtedly “not pleased”. Due to an EMI library malfunction, the 4 September variation with Starr playing drums was issued on the single; later, the tape was ruined and the 11 September record with Andy White on drums was used for all following launches. Martin would later commend Starr’s drumming, calling him “likely … the finest rock drummer on the planet now”. “Love Me Do” peaked at number 17 in the British charts, thus on 26 November 1962 Martin recorded “Please Please Me”, which he simply did after Lennon and McCartney had practically begged him to record another of their first tunes. Martin’s vital contribution to the tune was to let them know to speed up what was initially a slow ballad. Following the recording Martin looked on the mixing desk and said, “Gentlemen, you’ve just made your first number one record”.[32][33] Martin directed Epstein to locate a superb publisher, as Ardmore & Beechwood had done nothing to encourage “Love Me Do”, telling Epstein of three publishers who, in Martin’s view, could be reasonable and frank, which led them to Dick James.
March 8, 2016 (age 90) in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, UK
Place Of Birth
Highbury, London, United Kingdom
Height
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Profession
Composer, Record producer, Harpsichordist, Musician, Film Score Composer, Music Arranger, Conductor, Audio Engineer
Education
Guildford School of Music and Drama
Nationality
United Kingdom
Spouse
Judy Lockhart Smith (m. 1966), Sheena Chisholm (m. 1948–1965)
Children
Giles Martin, Gregory Paul Martin, Alexis Martin, Lucy Martin
Siblings
Janet Martin, Darleen Martin
Nicknames
Sir George Henry Martin , Sir George Martin , George Henry Martin , Martin, George , Graham Fisher , Ray Cathode
Awards
Grammy Awards - Album of the Year, Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Surround Sound Album, Best Musical Theater Album, Best Contemporary (R&R) Performance; Grammy Trustees Award (1967), Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music (1984), Brit Award for Be...
Record Labels
EMI, Parlophone, Apple
Nominations
Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame (1999)
Movies
Beyond the Fringe"(1960), A Hard Day's Night" (1964), "Pulp"(1972), Live and Let Die"(1973), "Honky Tonk Freeway"(1981)
TV Shows
The Beatles Anthology, On Record: The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Hull High
Star Sign
Capricorn
#
Trademark
1
Bringing classical methods and orchestrations into pop recordings
2
His sophisticated production style - he is responsible for some of the Beatles' most famous sounds
3
Deep authoritative voice and received pronunciation English accent
#
Quote
1
The very first records we made were just on two-track and then we had the great advance of four-track. We were able to actually overdub and start putting secondary voices on and guitar solos at a later stage and that kind of thing.
2
[on "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins] One of the best pop songs, I think, ever written.
3
[on "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"] Looking back on Pepper, it was quite an icon. It probably did change the face of recording so it became a different kind of art form.
4
Tape and electronics have brought enormous new feel to music. It's surprising what you can do once you have a sound recorded on tape.
5
[on Phil Spector's controversial overdubs to the "Let It Be" record] It was so uncharacteristic of The Beatles. It went against everything The Beatles wanted to do with the record. He tried to use the same techniques that he used on other people's records, and it didn't work. I could understand why Paul (Paul McCartney) got so mad over it.
6
Without Pet Sounds, Sgt Pepper wouldn't have happened . . . Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds.
7
If there is one person I would have to select as a living genius of pop music, it would be Brian Wilson.
#
Fact
1
Preparing a Beatles musical extravaganza show for Las Vegas. Though not directly involved, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and the family of the late George Harrison have given their support. Premiere scheduled for 2007. [October 2006]
2
Awarded a Knighthood in the Queen's Honours List. [December 1995]
3
Although already an accomplished pianist, Martin started to learn the guitar in order to communicate better with the Beatles, none of whom played the piano well when they started working with him. In return, they all started to improve their piano playing by buying a piano each. By Martin's own admission, they learned the piano better than he managed to learn the guitar.
4
Founded 'Air-Edel Recording Studios' with Herman Edel in 1969.
He was awarded Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 1996 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to Music.
7
Inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for his outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture. The award was presented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown. [November 2006]
8
Winner of the British Phonographic Industry Award for Outstanding Contribution in 1984.
9
After the "Get Back" debacle in early 1969, Martin began recording less with the Beatles, for the first time in six years; producer's duties were often filled in by Alan Parsons. Martin agreed to return for the "Abbey Road" sessions, however, on the band's promise that everyone would work together "like the old days".
10
Along with producing the Beatles' recordings, Martin often joined them on the playing end, adding keyboards to their lineup - thus becoming the real "Fifth Beatle" if there ever was one.
11
While Martin worked mostly hand-and-glove with Paul McCartney musically, he often found John Lennon's musical ideas considerably challenging. Martin always met the challenge, though, contributing the orchestral windup to the mix of "A Day In The Life", and the use of old circus pipes recordings in "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite".
12
When Martin met John Lennon in Los Angeles in the mid-1970s, he took Lennon to task for some critical comments he'd made about Martin, published in "Rolling Stone". Lennon gave Martin a rare apology, and praised him for his dedication and hard work. (For Lennon's part, his "Rolling Stone" comments did include "George made us what we were in the studio," and "He helped us develop a language to talk to [other] musicians.")
13
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (under the category Non-Performer) in 1999.
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Good Girls Revolt
2016
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Morfi, todos a la mesa
2016
TV Series producer - 1 episode
Hola y adiós
2016
TV Series documentary producer - 1 episode
The Walking Dead: Michonne
2016
Video Game writer: "Gun in my Hand"
Aloha
2015/I
performer: "Pepperland" / writer: "Pepperland"
Tu cara me suena - Argentina
2014
TV Series producer - 1 episode
Frost/Nixon
2008
writer: "By George It's David Frost" - as George Henry Martin
Across the Universe
2007
performer: "A Day In The Life"
The Alchemists of Sound
2003
TV Movie documentary writer: "Time Beat" - as Ray Cathode / writer: "Waltz in Orbit"
The Rhythm of Life
1997
TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode
The Beatles Anthology
1995
TV Mini-Series documentary writer: "Love in the Open Air", "By George! It's The David Frost Theme"
Ai monogatari
1991
TV Mini-Series producer: "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
Honky Tonk Freeway
1981
writer: "Ticlaw Anthem", "Love Keeps Bringing Me Down"
Roadie
1980
producer: "Everything Works If You Let It"
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
1978
producer: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "With A Little Help From My Friends", "Fixing A Hole", "Getting Better", "Here Comes The Sun", "I Want You She's So Heavy", "Good Morning, Good Morning", "Nowhere Man", "Polythene Pam", "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" Reprise, "Mean Mr. Mustard", "She's Leaving Home", "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", "Oh! Darling", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "Because", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Being For The
Ringo
1978
TV Movie arranger: "Yellow Submarine in Pepperland" instrumental
Xin si wang you xi
1975
"Trespassers Will Be Eaten"
Mister Jerico
1970
TV Movie music: "Mister Jerico"
The Southern Star
1969
arranger: "The Southern Star" / performer: "The Southern Star"
$400 Million
$15 million per year
