Who Was George Martin?

Sir George Henry Martin CBE (3 January 1926 - 8 March 2016) was a British record producer, arranger, composer, and musician who served as producer for virtually all of The Beatles' recordings from 1962 to 1970. He has been called the Fifth Beatle more than any other individual associated with the group - and with good reason.

Before The Beatles, Martin headed Parlophone Records at EMI, where he had built a reputation producing comedy records. When Brian Epstein brought him a demo tape of four young men from Liverpool in 1962, Martin was the only major label executive willing to give them a chance. What followed was the most consequential producer-artist relationship in the history of recorded music.

Martin didn't just press record. He translated the band's raw instinctive ideas into orchestral reality, taught them the language of the studio, and was always there to make the impossible sound inevitable.

George Martin and The Beatles: A Timeline

• 6 June 1962 - First recording session at Abbey Road. Martin signs them to Parlophone.
• September 1962 - Records Love Me Do. Martin uses session drummer Andy White, famously sidelining Ringo on the single.
• February 1963 - Please Please Me recorded in a single marathon day. Martin captures the band's live energy perfectly.
• 1965 - Martin's string quartet arrangement for Yesterday transforms a solo acoustic song into a timeless classic.
• 1966 - Revolver sessions. Martin helps realise Lennon's vision for Tomorrow Never Knows using tape loops and studio manipulation never attempted before.
• 1967 - Sgt. Pepper's. Martin's orchestral work on A Day in the Life is widely considered the pinnacle of rock production.
• 1969 - Abbey Road. Martin produces what many consider the band's finest work, including the iconic side two medley.
• 8 March 2016 - Sir George Martin passes away aged 90. Read the full story

What George Martin Did That No One Else Could

Key Songs Shaped by George Martin

• Yesterday (1965) - Martin's string quartet arrangement turned a solo acoustic song into a landmark. McCartney initially resisted the strings; Martin convinced him.
• Eleanor Rigby (1966) - A double string quartet, no rhythm section. Martin's arrangement is inseparable from the song.
• Tomorrow Never Knows (1966) - Lennon wanted to sound like a thousand Tibetan monks chanting. Martin made it happen. Explore the Psychedelic Era
• Strawberry Fields Forever (1967) - Two takes in different keys and tempos, spliced together at Martin's suggestion. The join is invisible.
• A Day in the Life (1967) - Martin conducted a 41-piece orchestra with instructions to improvise from their lowest note to their highest.
• I Am the Walrus (1967) - Controlled chaos, as Lennon intended. Martin's arrangement made the surreal feel inevitable.
• Something (1969) - Martin's string arrangement for Harrison's masterpiece is widely considered some of his finest work.
• The Abbey Road Medley (1969) - Martin stitched together the side two suite from fragments and sketches into a seamless 16-minute finale. Explore Abbey Road

George Martin's Legacy

After The Beatles, Martin produced records for America, Jeff Beck, Cilla Black and many others. In 1979 he opened AIR Studios in London, which remains one of the world's premier recording facilities. He was knighted in 1996.

His son Giles Martin has continued his father's work, overseeing the remixed and remastered Beatles catalogue including the acclaimed Love soundtrack and the 50th anniversary editions of Sgt. Pepper's and Abbey Road.

When George Martin died on 8 March 2016, Paul McCartney wrote: If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle, it was George.

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