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From a mutual friend, former LAPD officer Clark Baker:

Most of my friends don't know the name Paul Buckmaster even though they've hummed his orchestrations for artists like Elton John (Tiny Dancer, Levon, Madman Across the Water), David Bowie (Space Oddity), Leonard Cohen and MANY others. I knew him as a talented, charming, passionate, and humble man, and we shared many lively conversations over the years. He passed away yesterday, but I'll be listening to his music today and for years to come.

http://www.buckmastersound.com/

One of the greats! R.I.P Paul.

More than ten years ago, I was hanging out with my friend Tim Devine, who was head of A&R for Columbia Records (West Coast) at the time. It was 10pm in LA, and Tim was on the phone with Paul, listening to Paul's string arrangements for Train's (if memory serves) upcoming appearance on the Grammy Awards broadcast. Tim was giving Paul directions as to the arrangement.

For every less-than-wonderful idea Tim threw at him, Paul had a very gentleman-like response that saved the arrangement.

"Make it more purple!"

"I think the audience will react more emotionally if we commit to either red or blue, and not wash it out with something middle of the road like purple."

You'll be missed Paul.

ML

Awesome story. Us older cats certainly know who he was. RIP