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Introduction by Jim Liddane
Buck Ram, born Samuel Ram on November 21, 1907, in Chicago, Illinois is a prolific American songwriter, music producer, and talent manager best known for his work with the iconic doo-wop and R&B group The Platters. His contributions to popular music, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s had a lasting impact on the music industry, as he shaped the sound and success of several artists while also penning numerous hit songs. Indeed he was one of their top five songwriters in BMI's first 50 years of business, up there alongside Paul Simon, Kris Kristofferson, Jimmy Webb, and Paul McCartney!
Buck's musical journey began early; he learned to play piano and was deeply interested in composing music from a young age. He initially pursued an education in law at the University of Illinois but quickly realized that his true calling lay in the world of music, prompting him to focus on his creative aspirations.
In the 1930s, Ram moved to New York City, where he immersed himself in the burgeoning jazz and big band scene. He began writing songs for various artists and performers, and over time, his skill as a songwriter gained attention. During this period, he wrote songs for acts like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie, and his knack for penning catchy, soulful melodies helped establish his reputation. In addition to jazz standards, he also wrote popular songs for musicals, expanding his reach and versatility as a composer. His songwriting skills and experience in different genres allowed him to become a sought-after figure in the music industry, yet his true breakthrough came when he shifted his focus to the emerging R&B and rock and roll genres.
In the early 1950s, Ram moved to Los Angeles, where he continued to build connections in the music business and eventually began managing musical acts. His decision to work as a talent manager marked a significant shift in his career, as he recognized the potential for not only writing songs but also guiding the careers of up-and-coming artists. This led him to one of his most important collaborations: The Platters, an R&B group formed in Los Angeles. The Platters initially struggled to gain traction, but Ram saw potential in their sound and charisma. Under his management, he restructured the group, refined their style, and helped them develop a polished, sophisticated image that would appeal to a broader audience.
Ram’s influence on The Platters went beyond management; he became their primary songwriter and producer, crafting a series of songs that highlighted the group's vocal harmonies and emotional appeal. In 1955, Ram wrote "Only You (And You Alone)" for The Platters, a song that became their first major hit and remains one of their signature tracks. The success of "Only You" led to a series of hits for the group, with Ram penning other classics like "The Great Pretender," which reached the top of the Billboard charts and became an anthem of the era. Ram’s skill in songwriting, combined with his production expertise, helped define The Platters' sound, blending doo-wop with elements of pop and R&B to create music that appealed to both Black and white audiences.
Throughout the late 1950s and into the 1960s, The Platters became one of the most successful groups of the time, and Ram continued to play an essential role in their career. His ability to craft songs that resonated with audiences and his understanding of the importance of image and presentation were instrumental to their success. Under his guidance, The Platters achieved numerous chart-topping hits and became the first Black group to achieve widespread crossover success, performing on major television shows and in prestigious venues around the world.
Ram’s role as The Platters' manager is marked by his hands-on approach. He takes a keen interest in every aspect of their careers, from song selection and arrangement to public relations and tour management. While he has often been described as a demanding manager, his meticulous attention to detail ensures that the group maintains a consistent image and sound that has contributed to their longevity in the industry. Ram’s management style is unusual as few songwriters take on such a comprehensive role in shaping a group’s career. He is known for his strategic thinking, which allowed him to navigate the complex landscape of the music industry and protect The Platters from some of the exploitation commonly faced by artists of the time. He has also been generous to its core members, and several, including Tony Williams and Paul Robi have been given songwriting credits on his songs.
Beyond his work with The Platters, Ram continues to write songs and manage other acts, working with such names as the Penguins, the Drifters, the Coasters, Ike and Tina Turner, and many others and he remains influential in the industry, particularly in the world of R&B and doo-wop.
His dedication to quality songwriting and his insistence on creative control sets him apart from other songwriters and managers, and his work with The Platters influenced the sound of popular music for years to come. Ram's contributions to doo-wop and R&B have also helped pave the way for the success of later black artists, as he demonstrated the commercial viability of crossover hits and appealed to a broad audience.
His expertise in penning great songs can be judged by the fact that “I'll Be Home for Christmas (If Only in My Dreams)" has been covered by a phenomenal 1200 acts, “Twilight Time” by 180, “Only You” by 160, and “The Great Pretender” by 150, while his compositions have been recorded by such acts as Elvis Presley, Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, The Beach Boys, Dean Martin, Glen Campbell, The Osmonds, The Carpenters, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Andy Williams, Gloria Estefan, Fats Domino, Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Donna Summer, Neil Diamond, Jeffrey Osborne, Helen Reddy, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Carly Simon, Dionne Warwick and quite literally, hundreds of others,
Despite his many successes, Ram’s career has not been without challenges. He had to get engaged in several legal battles to secure his rights and royalties, particularly as music contracts and licensing became increasingly complex. His efforts to protect his and The Platters’ intellectual property highlighted the struggles many artists and songwriters faced in an industry where rights and profits were often not equitably shared. Ram's determination to advocate for himself and his artists has contributed to the broader movement within the music industry toward fairer compensation and recognition for songwriters and performers.
Throughout his life, Ram has remained a passionate advocate for the power of music to bring people together, and his work reflects this belief. His songs for The Platters have become timeless classics, frequently covered by artists across generations and enjoyed by audiences worldwide. Ram’s legacy as a songwriter and manager is defined by his commitment to artistic integrity and his understanding of the business side of music, which allows him to protect his work and that of his artists.
Mary Fanning interviewed Buck for the International Songwriters Association’s publication “Songwriter Magazine”.
Prologue
Back in 1953, The Platters vocal group started off as an all male quartet, comprising Tony Williams, David Lynch, Herb Reed and Alex Hodge. Soon after, Tony Williams was introduced by his sister, singer Linda Hayes, to songwriter Buck Ram, and he eventually brought the Platters to Ram for management. Buck added a girl, Zola Mae Taylor, a fifteen year old, formerly with The Queens, to the line up, and when Alex Hodge left the group in 1954, he brought in Paul Robi as his replacement.
Over the next ten years, the Platters took Buck Ram's songs and arrange¬ments to the top of the charts, scoring such hits as "The Great Pretender", "Only You", "Twilight Time" and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". Buck's careful selection, coaching, arranging and producing, led to sixteen gold records and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
In 1960, Tony Williams left the Platters to pursue a solo career, and was replaced by Sonny Turner, who remained with the group until 1970. During this period, the group again topped the American charts with songs like "I Love You 1,000 Times", and "With This Ring". In 1970, Monroe Powell replaced Turner. He remains with the group until this day. The other members of the Platters are Donne Radford, Leon Gilliam, Nancy Nelson and Mike Davis.
Buck Ram's formula for the Platters was to "keep it simple, with meaningful lyrics, with great vocal harmonies to sing those lyrics"
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It is difficult to find a descriptive adjective to describe the many talents of Buck Ram. Though the general public may not be familiar with his name, they know his songs. And no matter how the public's taste for pop music has changed over the years, Ram has always been in the forefront whether it be Rock, Pop, Country, R & B, Swing, Jazz or Semi-classical.
Ram is tough. He's as tough as those big horned animals you see knocking heads together in the Dodge Ram commercial. But you'd never know how tough Ram is from his songs he writes the most sentimental tunes and lyrics in popdom.
I found "The Ram", as his friends like to call him, sitting behind his big oak desk in his office in Las Vegas. He was surrounded by recording equipment, piles of papers with lyrics and stacks of manuscript paper with scribbled music notes. His strong profile told me he was a man who had done what he set out to do ... to please the world with his music.
Here in front of me was the man who made The Platters famous and wrote such evergreen classics as "Only You", "Remember When", "I'm Sorry", "The Magic Touch", "The Great Pretender", "I'11 Be Home For Christmas" and "Twilight Time". I saw that Ram was a man who likes to get right to the point and didn't particularly care to have his valuable writing time interrupted. So the interview got off to an immediate start!
Tell me, Buck, how did The Platters form and what part did you play?
1 found Tony Williams, his sister Linda Hayes recommended him to me. He auditioned for me and sang "Danny Boy". I told him I didn't know what to do with a black tenor, because at that time in the early `50s everyone was singing baritone. So he told me he was singing with a group. I heard the group and I thought they had potential. I really liked Tony, so we started rehearsing with the four men. Then I got the idea to put a girl with them to round out their harmony. I took Zola Taylor out of The Queens and she was just what The Platters needed.
Who selected the name The Platters?
I think Herb ... Platters was a word meaning records, and since the early group had intentions of recording, they just called themselves The Platters ... Herb Reed has said from the beginning the name was his idea.
Buck, you were a songwriter at that time?
Oh sure, since the `40s. The first song I ever wrote was "Afterglow". I was an arranger for various swing bands for the pop tunes and I knew I could write as good as what was pop at the time. So I wrote "Afterglow" and I quit arranging and just wrote songs from then on.
You are a studied musician then?
No, I never had what we call today "formal training". I studied law. But I played saxophone with various jazz bands. I arranged for Count Basie, Duke Ellington and others at that time. Before I met The Platters, 1 had "I'll Be Home For Christmas", "Twilight Time", "Slow Freight" and several swing band song hits and a hit with Ella Fitzgerald called "Have Mercy".
How did you get into the music business?
Ever since I can remember I've been interested in music and writing poetry. I studied law but never practised. I just wanted to be a musician".
Basically you began in jazz?
Yes, I played sax. I started out in Chicago in the old Dixieland days. I noticed the kids were turning away from progressive jazz and tuning to the small black stations and listening to what they called then "race records". That was a heritage I'd grown up with, so I got into that. I discovered such groups as The Penguins with "Earth Angel", The Flares with "Footstompin'" and The Platters they took the longest to develop. It took two and a half years ... and that was the group that really made it!
Buck, how did you sign The Platters to Mercury Records ... I understand it took some doing?
Mercury wanted only The Penguins. But I took both groups to the recording session. After The Penguins' session, the studio piano player left the scene and we were told to wrap it up. "No way", I said, "I came here to record "Only You" with The Platters. He says, "You don't have a piano player". I said, "Go to the booth and put your hands over your eyes and you'll have a piano player". He asked "Who?" and I said "Me!" He said, "You don't play piano". But I knew how to play those opening triplets, and I just kept on going. And that's the only record of The Platters I was ever on. The Penguins never had another hit after "Earth Angel", whereas the golden hits for The Platters began with "Only You" at that recording session.
The Platters were the first black group to have a Number One single in the Rock era. How tough was it to market them?
Very difficult! My now partner, but then assistant, Jean Bennett, drove from city to city, radio station to radio station begging deejays to play "Only You". We did some tall talking to get them their first bookings!
How would you analyse The Platters success?
My simple songs. "Only You" can make the world seem right ... simple.
How did you come to write "Twilight Time?" Tell me about that.
I used to write poetry when I was in college. "Twilight Time" was written to one of my own poems. So I had the lyrics before the tune. The Three Suns liked that song. They were recording for Varsity Records, a businessman's bounce sound record company. We finally talked them into letting The Three Suns record it but they recorded it with a bounce beat. I made them re-record it and The Three Suns had a hit and a theme song they used for years. When The Platters recorded it, Tony Williams sang the wrong melody, and I didn't change it because it was so good. It was a hard song to sing and he just couldn't get with it. But once he got it, that voice of his came shining through.
Were you surprised when it went to No. 1?
No! We had confidence in everything we did! At that time I thought I was infallible. I was so often told that as long as I could produce gold records I could do anything I wanted to ... I got to believing it!
What recording of "Twilight Time" do you like best?
I liked Les Brown's recording he copied what Tony did on the melody. The Platters were the first to do the vocal on it, because up to that time it had only been an instrumental. Through the years, I've had a tremendous amount of cover versions of this song and also on "The Great Pretender" and "Only You".
Tell me about "The Great Pretender".
Well, I keep a store of titles and story lines in my head ... like a computer. The A&R man from Mercury said, "Look, you've had such a hit with "Only You", we need another tune. We've got a drawer full of tunes" but I said, "No, no, I have written a new tune titled "The Great Pretender'!" So I went back to the Flamingo Hotel where The Platters were performing. It was very noisy and cold, so I went to the men's washroom and wrote "The Great Pretender" on a paper toilet seat cover. The Platters didn't want to sing it because they thought it was a "hillbilly" song. But I told them to sing it or else! And it beat out Elvis Presley's hit for number one on the charts that year. And it's still a great tune!
"My Prayer" was The Platters second number one hit. Did you write it?
No, it was written in 1939 by Jimmy Kennedy. I ran into Jimmy on the street one day and he was very impressed with the sound I created for The Platters. And he'd written a lot of songs. He told me he had some songs he wanted me to hear. I immediately liked "My Prayer" because I don't like to follow the trends, so we recorded it. Jimmy soon became my best friend ... and we recorded his "Harbour Lights" and "Red Sails In The Sunset" too. I think we made Jimmy a very rich man!
The Platters have always existed in one form or another and I know they are a corporation. Can you tell me why?
Yes, The Five Platters, Inc. has been a California Corporation since 1956. We incorporated to assure the longevity of the group, no matter how many singer changes might occur. Over the last 35 years we've had over a hundred changes but the Buck Ram sound has not changed. The team changes but the coach remains the same. Monroe Powell, lead singer for the group has been with us almost 20 years. He took one short leave of absence in the `70s. The Platters have only had three major tenors (Tony Williams, Sonny Turner and Monroe Powell) in all these years. Then Gene Williams, our famous bass singer has also been with the group a long time. The other singers come and go. The people come to hear the songs. They don't mind the personnel changes as long as the songs are done the way they want to hear them ... the way I wrote them.
I understand that there have been bogus groups who call themselves Platters?
We've spent over two million dollars protecting our valuable trademark ... close to 50 cases! When we first started we had no precedents to go by and we had to learn the hard way! But we've won some very powerful cases! We've been written up in the law journals as the only group who did it right!
How many songs have you written, Buck?
Hundreds, perhaps around 500, I don't know, I've been very prolific. I'll give you a list of some of my songs that have been recorded. So many. Writing comes very easy for me. I've often said I feel guilty making money at what I do because I enjoy it.
Have any of your songs been licensed for commercials?
Sure. Proctor and Gamble and Hyatt have used "The Magic Touch" for their commercials, Miller Beer uses "I'll Be Home For Christmas", Wendy's used "Only You", Red Lobster used "The Great Pretender", Armor All used "Only You" also for their commercial. I'd love to go more into the commercial business. There's dollars to be made there and it's fun to hear the renditions of my songs. I love it!
How many gold records do you have, Buck?
Oh, I don't know ... I think 16 and three platinums for "Only You", "The Great Pretender" and "Twilight Time".
Do you have any proud moments with your songs?
Yes, I have had many, but when "I'll Be Home For Christmas" was broadcast into space to astronauts Lovell and Borman aboard Gemini 7 in 1965, I was very proud! Very proud!
Tell me about writing a song, is there any kind of method a construction method that you can say "this is a hit ... this is going to make it?"
They say writing a song is 80% perspiration and 20% inspiration. It's a technique as well as any technique for any other business.
Is there any luck involved?
Yes, definitely. We songwriters are only known by our hits. People don't associate you with the failures. If you have a 25% average of hit songs, you're doing very well. Had "I'll Be Home For Christmas" come out at a different time, it might never had been a hit. Everybody picked up on it as a war song. But I wrote it ten years before the war.
Do you have tunes running around your head all the time?
Sure.
Do you stop the car ever and write them down?
No. But I keep some paper by my bed. And I get up in the middle of the night sometimes. It's a little easier now with the tape recorders, because I can put it on tape and go back to sleep.
Who are your favorite songwriters?
Mercer, Berlin and Oscar Hammerstein Jr., because they were poets, I think a song begins with the lyric. These men were poets first.
How do you know when you've written a song that you haven't stolen it, because you've "heard" it before?
The court can decide now whether there's sufficient sameness.
What is your personal favourite hit?
Of mine? Unfortunately, it's never been a hit. It's a song called "Sonata". Got to number 33 once in Chicago.
What song became a hit you didn't like very much?
I don't know. After I write them I just start on another. You're at the mercy of the fates.
What advice can you give young songwriters?
Don't get discouraged. Don't take a publisher's rejection of a song personally. Keep at it. Keep improving, studying, learning. Don't feel YOU are the one being rejected. Just keep trying. You know "Only You" was rejected so many times I lost count. If you want a hit, keep your song simple! I still write songs the way I used to simple melodies, simple lyrics and no overproduction. And learn about the business of music - it will help you.
Copyright Songwriter Magazine, International Songwriters Association & Mary Fanning: All Rights Reserved
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