Michael Omartian (born 26th November 1945 in Evanston, Illinois) is an Armenian-American keyboardist, songwriter and Grammy award winning music producer. He has produced albums for several pop artists including Christopher Cross, Michael Bolton, Whitney Houston, the Jacksons, Rod Stewart, Trisha Yearwood, Clint Black, Donna Summer, Peter Cetera, and Amy Grant.
Michael Omartian is the first producer to have number one records in three consecutive decades (1970s, 1980s, and 1990s). He has been nominated for ten Grammys and won three:
• 1981 Grammy Award for Record of the Year – “Sailing” (with Christopher Cross)
• 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year – Christopher Cross
• 1981 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) – “Sailing”
Previously, Omartian was a founding member of the 1970s disco-funk band Rhythm Heritage, and he also played as a session musician for artists including Steely Dan, The Four Tops, Seals and Crofts and Loggins & Messina.
Omartian has recorded a number of highly polished Contemporary Christian Music albums under his own name, including White Horse, Adam Again, Conversations (an instrumental album) and others. Virtually all of his solo albums are now out-of-print.
Toward the end of 2006 he contributed to an album with Annie Herring (former member of 2nd Chapter of Acts) called One on One, he plays piano as the solo instrument throughout with Annie providing the vocals.
He has also recorded several projects with his wife Stormie Omartian. Stormie now focuses on her career as a successful author, writing principally for the Christian market. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
