Ron Fair
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ron Fair is a veteran A&R executive, record producer and songwriter. He has produced and arranged hits for several artists and his career has spanned 25 years at major record labels, but he is best known as a "guru/mentor" in guiding the careers of unknown artists and turning them into superstars. Among the artists he has mentored include Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera, Prima J, Vanessa Carlton, Ashlee Simpson and the Black Eyed Peas. He is currently mentoring Girlicious, The Pussycat Dolls, whose debut album, PCD, has sold seven million copies worldwide[1]. He signed Keyshia Cole, overseeing and co-producing two platinum albums and five number one hits. In 2006 Fair became chairman of Geffen Records.[2]
Earlier in his career Fair taught "recording production" at the University of Sound Arts[3] in Hollywood while at the same time developing a reputation as a motion picture musical soundtrack coordinator, with the multi-platinum successes of Pretty Woman and Reality Bites[4]. His first A&R position was with RCA Records, where even as a junior exec, in an interview with Music Connection magazine, Fair expressed a desire to be the "Irving Thalberg" of the music business.[5]
In 2009 Ron Fair approached Indian film composer A.R. Rahman to produce an English version of "Jai Ho", the hit soundtrack to the film Slumdog Millionaire. Along with Nicole Scherzinger and the Pussycat Dolls a new version of the song titled "Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)" was released worldwide on the 23rd and 24th of February 2009 through Interscope Records. He considers Rahman to be "one of the world's great living composers in any medium".[6][7] He is married to singer-songwriter Stefanie Ridel. They have one child together.
[edit] References
- ^ , Girlicious.Pussycat Dolls Head for the Arena, Sarah Walters, Manchester Evening News, January 1, 2007.
- ^ Interview - Ron Fair, A&M Records - Jun 19, 2006, Hit Quarters, June 19, 2006.
- ^ Sleaze Roxx
- ^ RON FAIR, Doug Minnick, Bmusic.com.au, undated.
- ^ "Ron Fair - A&M Records President: From Fledgling Musician To Major League Starmaker", Music Connection, March 23, 2003.
- ^ Smith, Ethan (February 27, 2009), "'Slumdog' Remix: The Oscar-winning song 'Jai Ho' is reworked with help from a Pussycat Doll", The Wall Street Journal, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123568984902087603.html, retrieved on 2009-03-01
- ^ http://www.interscope.com/artist/releases/detail.aspx?pid=2104&aid=455

