Ralph Carmichael

Arranger/conductor Ralph Carmichael was born May 27, 1927 in Quincy, IL; the son of a pastor, he spent much of his childhood in North Dakota before the family settled in California during the late 1930s. Carmichael's first instrument was the violin, which he picked up at age four; he later added piano, trumpet and vocal studies to his musical education, and while attending Southern California Bible College organized a series of vocal groups and orchestras. In time he was invited to arrange big-band renditions of gospel standards for the Emmy-winning local television program Th...