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Michael Omartian (born November 26, 1945 in Evanston, Illinois) is an Armenian-American songwriter, Grammy Award-winning keyboardist, and 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, Benny Hester, Steve Camp, The Imperials and Amy Grant. In 1985 Michael Omartian, along with Quincy Jones, co-produced the # 1 hit "We Are the World" by a supergroup of popular musicians billed as USA for Africa.
In one year alone, he was nominated for ten Grammy Awards, three of which he won for his work on Christopher Cross' debut album:
* 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 Koinonia, 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. Omartian produced several Christian Contemporary albums for The Imperials. The Imperials are most remembered for the albums "Priority" and "One More Song For You" produced in Omartian's basement studio on very tight budgets. 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.
Omartian is one of the few producers in recording history to have number one records in three consecutive decades – the seventies, eighties and nineties.
In one year alone, he was nominated for ten Grammy Awards, three of which he won for his work on Christopher Cross' debut album:
* 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 Koinonia, 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. Omartian produced several Christian Contemporary albums for The Imperials. The Imperials are most remembered for the albums "Priority" and "One More Song For You" produced in Omartian's basement studio on very tight budgets. 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.
Omartian is one of the few producers in recording history to have number one records in three consecutive decades – the seventies, eighties and nineties.
