Michael "Omar" Omartian - Producer/Keys
Michael Omartian, Keys - Nashville, TN
“Working with and alongside Omar has been a career highlight for me. The day he accepted joining the Missing Toys, was truly a surreal moment for me. As a Producer, he has done such amazing things to this record, and I personally learned so much. His kindness added to his talent make him truly a “one of one”!!! His keys and orchestration are truly unique on this record, and he deserves all the recognition he can get on this. People deserve to hear ALL he has created on this record! Thank YOU Omar!!!”
- Joe
Michael Omartian is the first producer in recording history to have number one records in three separate decades - the seventies, eighties and nineties. In 1980, Michael was nominated for ten Grammy Awards, three of which he won for his work on Christopher Cross' debut album. He has been nominated for producer of the year twice, once in 1980 and again in 1984. In 1991 he was nominated for album of the year with "Heart In Motion" by Amy Grant. In 1995 he was nominated for country song of the year, "When Love Finds You," with Vince Gill, and for Gospel Album of the Year, "The Light Inside," with Gary Chapman. In 1994 Michael had the honor of producing "One Voice," an album for the Summer Olympic Games. His song entitled "Atlanta Reel" was used as the theme for the swimming events.
Michael has produced such artists as: Susan Ashton, Sheena Easton, Barry Manilow, John Berry, First Call, Richard Marx, Stephen Bishop, Roberta Flack, Reba McEntire, Clint Black, Bela Fleck, Larry Wayne Morbitt, Michael Bolton, 4HIM, Lorrie Morgan, Karla Bonoff, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Debby Boone, Amy Grant, David Pack, Steve Camp, Howard Hewitt, Sandi Patti, Bob Carlisle, Whitney Houston, Jonathan Pierce, Peter Cetera, Janis Ian, Michael W. Smith, Gary Chapman, The Imperials, Rod Stewart, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jermaine Jackson, Marty Stuart, Cher, The Jacksons, Donna Summer, Michael Crawford, Waylon Jennings, Kathy Troccoli, Christopher Cross, Alison Krauss, Sheila Walsh, Helen Darling, Crystal Lewis, Wayne Watson, The Dirt Band, Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood.
Some of Michael Omartian's productions include:
Amy Grant's "River Lullaby," on the sound track album of the DreamWorks animated movie, "THE PRINCE OF EGYPT", Amy Grant and Bryan White's duet of "With These Hands" for Atlantic Record's "THE CIVIL WAR", Deana Carter's "Once Upon A September," the title track of the 20th Century Fox movie, "ANASTASIA", Christopher Cross' nine million selling album titled "Christopher Cross" which rendered five top 20 hits, including "Sailing" and "Ride Like the Wind", Michael Bolton's "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" in 1990, which spent three weeks at number one in the United States, Amy Grant's platinum album, "Heart In Motion," which includes the single he co-wrote, "That's What Love Is For," which won an ASCAP award for being one of the most played songs in 1992, Donna Summer's "She Works Hard for the Money," which was a hit song across the nation, Peter Cetera's platinum solo album, "Solitude/Solitaire," which includes two number one hits, "Glory of Love" (the theme song from the movie "Karate Kid - Part II" which was nominated for an Oscar), and "Next Time I Fall" (duet with Amy Grant), Rod Stewart's multi-platinum "Camouflage" album, rendering two top 5 hits, "Infatuation" and "Some Guys Have All the Luck", The single "Arthur," theme song from the movie "Arthur," sung by Christopher Cross, which won an Oscar for Song of the Year.
He has co-written many songs, some of which are:
"When Love Finds You" - Vince Gill
"That's What Love Is For" - Amy Grant
"She Works Hard For the Money" - Donna Summer
"Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin" - Jermaine Jackson
"Unconditional Love" - Donna Summer
"Every Turn of the World" - Christopher Cross
"Charm the Snake" - Christopher Cross
"Rhythm of Life" - Richard Marx
"Boogie Down" - Al Jarreau
"Fool For Your Love" - Dolly Parton & Leo Sayer
"Traces of Heaven" - Bryan Duncan
He arranged and played keyboards for all the artists listed above and others including: Barbra Streisand, Steely Dan, Reba McEntire, Boz Skaggs, Michael Jackson, Julio Iglesias, Richard Marx, John Lennon, Dolly Parton, Al Jarreau, Eric Clapton, Rikki Lee Jones, Manhattan Transfer, The Jacksons, Faith Hill, Lee Ann Womack, Lonestar, Lori Morgan.
He has seven albums of his own including six solo singing albums, such as "White Horse," "Adam Again," and "The Race," and two piano instrumentals, one of his original music and the other of Mozart compositions. "Animator" is...
Omar’s Background
Michael was born November 26, 1945 in Evanston, Illinois. He began playing piano at four years old and drums at age five. In 1955 he studied percussion, composition and theory privately, as well as in school. He began composing and arranging at sixteen and was involved with club bands in the Chicago area. He studied at Tarkio College in Missouri and Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, then moved to California in 1970, to pursue a songwriting career.
He married Stormie Omartian in 1973 and shortly thereafter became a studio keyboard player winning Keyboard Musician of the Year from NARAS, the Grammy Award presenters. He soon began arranging and production work and in 1975 became a staff producer and artist with ABC Records. In 1977 he moved to Warner Brothers Records as a staff producer and remained with them for five years until he became an independent producer. Michael currently serves on the NARAS Board of Governors and also on the Board of Governors of Doxology Records.
Michael and Stormie have three children, a twenty-seven year old son, Christopher, a twenty-four year old son, John, and twenty-two year old daughter, Amanda. In 1993, he and Stormie and the family moved home and office to Nashville and are enjoying life in Music City.