Ralph Carmichael, composer and Emmy Award-winning arranger-conductor for Nat King Cole, Jack Jones, Ella Fitzgerald and Roger Williams, died Oct. 18 in Camarillo, Calif. He was 94.
Carmichael got his big break when Capitol Records producer Lee Gillette was introduced to his arrangement in the 1950s. This led to the prolific collaboration between Carmichael and Cole, starting with Cole arranging the 1960 Christmas album “The Magic of Christmas” which was re-packaged in 1962 as “The Christmas Song.” Carmichael and Cole produced nine full studio projects together including Nat’s final sessions in 1964 for the album “L.O.V.E,” more collaborations with Nat than any other arranger. He was also a primary arranger/conductor for pianist Roger Williams, creating 20 albums together including the 1965 hit “Born Free.”
Carmichael also wrote charts for TV shows such as “My Mother the Car” and “I Love Lucy” as well as movie scores, including “The Blob,” “4D Man” and “The Cross and the Switchblade.
Carmichael got his big break when Capitol Records producer Lee Gillette was introduced to his arrangement in the 1950s. This led to the prolific collaboration between Carmichael and Cole, starting with Cole arranging the 1960 Christmas album “The Magic of Christmas” which was re-packaged in 1962 as “The Christmas Song.” Carmichael and Cole produced nine full studio projects together including Nat’s final sessions in 1964 for the album “L.O.V.E,” more collaborations with Nat than any other arranger. He was also a primary arranger/conductor for pianist Roger Williams, creating 20 albums together including the 1965 hit “Born Free.”
Carmichael also wrote charts for TV shows such as “My Mother the Car” and “I Love Lucy” as well as movie scores, including “The Blob,” “4D Man” and “The Cross and the Switchblade.
- 10/21/2021
- by Katie Song
- Variety Film + TV
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