Al Schmitt

 

 

Al Schmitt is a recording engineer and record producer.

Early career

Schmitt grew up in New York City. After serving in the U.S. Navy he began working at Apex Recording Studios at the age of 19. In the late 1950s Schmitt moved to Los Angeles and became a staff engineer at Radio Recorders on Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood. In the early 1960s he moved to RCA in Hollywood as a staff engineer. While at RCA he engineered albums for Henry Mancini, Cal Tjader, Al Hirt, Rosemary Clooney, Liverpool Five, The Astronauts, Sam Cooke "Bring It on Home to Me" "Cupid" "Another Saturday Night" in 1961. He also did a lot of motion-picture scoring work for Alex North and Elmer Bernstein.

From the mid-60s to present

In 1966 Schmitt left RCA and became an independent producer. He produced albums for Jefferson Airplane, Eddie Fisher, Glenn Yarborough, Jackson Browne and Neil Young. In the mid 70's he began spending more time engineering again, recording and mixing artists from Willy DeVille and Dr. John.

Other career highlights include engineering both Frank Sinatra Duets albums, Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company and some of Diana Krall's albums. Much of his work in the last few years has been with producer Tommy LiPuma.

Awards

During his career Al has recorded and mixed more than 150 gold and platinum albums and was inducted into the TEC Awards Hall of Fame in 1997, and received the Grammy Trustees Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. As a member of The Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter, Al served several terms on The Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees. He has won a total of 18 Grammy Awards, more than any other engineer or mixer. In addition he was awarded two Latin Grammy Awards in 2000 including Album of the Year. In 2005 he won five Grammys for his work on Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company including Album of the Year, setting the record most Grammys won by an engineer or mixer in one night. He is also the only person to win both the Grammy and Latin Grammy for Album of the Year.

The Schmitt-engineered song "Moon River" and its associated album won two Grammy awards in 1961 as well as an Academy Award for Best Song with its appearance in the film Breakfast at Tiffany's. Schmitt won his first Grammy in 1963 specifically for engineering the Hatari! soundtrack by Henry Mancini.

List of Grammy Awards received by Al Schmitt

Year	Category	Title	Note
1962	Best Engineering Contribution – Other Than Novelty And Other Than Classical	Hatari
1976	Best Engineered Recording – Non-Classical	Breezin'	George Benson
1977	Best Engineered Recording – Non-Classical	Aja	Steely Dan
1978	Best Engineered Recording – Non-Classical	"FM (No Static at All)"	Steely Dan
1982	Best Engineered Recording – Non-Classical	Toto IV	Toto
1991	Best Engineered Album – Non-Classical	Unforgettable… with Love	Natalie Cole
1996	Best Engineered Album – Non-Classical	Q's Jook Joint	Quincy Jones
1999	Best Engineered Album – Non-Classical	When I Look in Your Eyes	Diana Krall
2000	Album of the Year	Amarte Es Un Placer	Luis Miguel
2000	Pop Album	Amarte Es Un Placer	Luis Miguel
2001	Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical	The Look of Love	Diana Krall
2002	Best Jazz Vocal Album	Live in Paris	Diana Krall
2004	Best Surround Sound Album	Genius Loves Company	Ray Charles
2004	Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical	Genius Loves Company	Ray Charles
2004	Best Pop Vocal Album	Genius Loves Company	Ray Charles
2004	Album of the Year	Genius Loves Company	Ray Charles
2004	Record of the Year	"Here We Go Again"	Norah Jones & Ray Charles
2006	Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group	The Ultimate Adventure	Chick Corea
2008	Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album	Still Unforgettable	Natalie Cole
2010	Best Jazz Vocal Album	Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie with Love from Dee Dee Bridgewater	Dee Dee Bridgewater