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Los Angeles, CA – Seeker Music, the songwriter-led music rights, publishing, and record company, has acquired the producer and publishing catalogs of eleven-time GRAMMY nominated singer-songwriter, producer, and arranger Michael Omartian, who rose to prominence as a producer for his work on Christopher Cross eponymous debut album. Along with Cross’ full catalog, which Seeker acquired in 2022, this deal highlights the Seeker catalog’s strength in 70s and 80s music, including the ‘Yacht Rock’ subgenre - In November, Omartian’s work was spotlighted in HBO & The Ringer’s Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary.
With over five decades of contributions to the music industry, Omartian got his start in the 60s and 70s as an arranger and session musician who, among other credits, played keys on Steely Dan’s Aja and arranged Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” His “big break” in production came in 1979 with “Sailing”, “Ride Like The Wind”, and the entire Christopher Cross album, which earned him his first-ever GRAMMYs when it won the “Big 4” awards (Best New Artist and Record, Song, and Album of the Year). Since then, Billie Eilish and Adele are the only two artists to accomplish the same.
Other major Omartian production and songwriting credits included in the Seeker acquisition include Donna Summer’s 1983 album and anthem “She Works Hard for the Money,” Peter Cetera’s 1986 hit “Glory of Love,” big songs for the likes of Rod Stewart, Jermaine Jackson & Michael Jackson, Boz Scaggs, Loggins & Messina, Al Jarreau, and Amy Grant, and his notable soundtrack work ranging from Young Frankenstein to The Karate Kid Part II.
Omartian is one of the only producers in music history to helm #1 records across three consecutive decades.
Seeker Music, founded by M&G Investments, and led by chart-topping songwriter Evan Bogart (Beyoncé’s “Halo,” Rihanna’s “SOS”), was created on the premise that legacy music catalogs such as Omartian’s deserve the same creative strategy, focus, and care as new releases. The company prioritizes acquiring catalogs of music they truly love, and for which their passion inspires a strategy for long-term celebration and growth. With that criteria, Omartian’s work was a no-brainer for Seeker (as was Cross’ catalog, which, since acquiring, Seeker has brought to record streaming, sync and sales highs through a series of new and revamped releases and creative marketing campaigns).
Seeker has shown a knack for trend foresight in the music industry in its four years of business, from the renewed interest in yacht rock (and disco, another Omartian specialty) to their early-days acquisition of J-Kwon's "Tipsy," which Seeker knew would have renewed life. A few years later, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which interpolates J-Kwon’s original “Tipsy,” has broken numerous #1 records, and is now tied for the longest-running Billboard #1 song of all-time.
Evan Bogart shared of the new acquisition, “Michael Omartian is an extraordinary songwriter, and producer, whose music has defined generations of popular music and influenced decades of music creators, including myself!! I’m obsessed with so many songs that he contributed to, and that continue to soundtrack all of our lives. He’s the definition of a truly timeless hitmaker and we’re so grateful to have this opportunity to celebrate his music and to help to carry his legacy forward for generations to come.”
Michael Omartian added “Throughout my musical career I have had the opportunity to write with, play for, arrange and produce many phenomenal artists. I am so happy to have my life’s work in the hands of Evan Bogart and the staff of Seeker Music Group. Thank you also to my friend and catalog broker Peter Kalish, attorney Ed Grauer, and my long-time business manager John Mucci Jr. for bringing all of this together. I look forward to working with Evan and his staff and thank him for wanting my music to be included in his company’s roster of great writers and musicians. This is pretty awesome!”
Omartian was represented by Ed Grauer and Seeker was represented by Henry Root, for Counsel, LLP, as well as Bogart and Seeker’s General Counsel, Dan Stuart. The deal was brokered by Peter Kalish.
Watch this space for more to come from Seeker Music.
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