# Ralph Sharon

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**Ralph Simon Sharon** (September 17, 1923 – March 31, 2015) was a British-American [jazz](/source/Jazz) [pianist](/source/Pianist) and arranger.[1] He is best known for working with [Tony Bennett](/source/Tony_Bennett) as his pianist on numerous recordings and live performances.

## Biography

Ralph Sharon was born in [London](/source/London), England, to a British mother and [Latvian](/source/Latvia)-born father.

Sharon's musical career began in England, where he became pianist to [Ted Heath](/source/Ted_Heath_(bandleader)) in 1946. By late 1949, he was leading the Ralph Sharon Sextet, which included [Victor Feldman](/source/Victor_Feldman) as percussionist. He toured with Feldman until 1951.[2][3] He [emigrated](/source/Emigration) to the [United States](/source/United_States) in early 1954, becoming a [naturalized](/source/Naturalized) [citizen of the United States](/source/Citizen_of_the_United_States) five years later.[4]

In 1957, Ralph Sharon became pianist, arranger, and musical director for [Tony Bennett](/source/Tony_Bennett), releasing *[The Beat of My Heart](/source/The_Beat_of_My_Heart)* the same year. Sharon became Bennett's "man behind the music" for much of the next 45 years, recording Bennett's discography and touring with Bennett until his retirement in 2002. All nine of Bennett's [Grammy Awards](/source/Grammy_Award) over this period were for studio recordings directed by Sharon.[5]

The song "[I Left My Heart in San Francisco](/source/I_Left_My_Heart_in_San_Francisco)" was given to Bennett by Sharon, who had received the [sheet music](/source/Sheet_music) from his friends, composers [George C. Cory Jr.](/source/George_C._Cory_Jr.) and [Douglass Cross](/source/Douglass_Cross), in 1960. A year after placing the sheet music in a drawer and forgetting about it, Sharon re-discovered the manuscript by chance while packing for a tour that included San Francisco. While Bennett and Sharon liked the song, they were convinced it would only be a local hit. Instead, the tune became Bennett's [signature song](/source/Signature_song).[5][6]

Splitting up with Bennett in 1965, he spent the next 14 years working with a series of musicians, including [Robert Goulet](/source/Robert_Goulet), [Rosemary Clooney](/source/Rosemary_Clooney), [Mel Torme](/source/Mel_Torme), [Duke Ellington](/source/Duke_Ellington), and [Chris Connor](/source/Chris_Connor). He was also a [jazz pianist](/source/Jazz_pianist) in his own right, recording a series of his own albums. He reunited with Bennett in 1979; the two would not separate again until his retirement.[1][3][7]

On his recording of "[I'll Be Home for Christmas](/source/I'll_Be_Home_for_Christmas)" from the 1992 CD *[Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album](/source/Snowfall:_The_Tony_Bennett_Christmas_Album)*, Bennett is heard at the end of the song exclaiming "Take me home, Ralph!" as Sharon plays the last notes of the song.[8]

Retiring to [Boulder, Colorado](/source/Boulder,_Colorado), from on-the-road work with Bennett at 78, Ralph Sharon continued to perform in the [Denver metropolitan area](/source/Denver_metropolitan_area) until shortly before his death. Tony Bennett and the Ralph Sharon Trio performed at various jazz venues, including Dazzle Restaurant & Lounge in [Denver](/source/Denver). Sharon died from natural causes on March 31, 2015.[5]

## Discography

### Solo albums

- 1953 *Autumn Leaves and Spring Fever*
- 1954 *Easy Jazz* (As The Ralph Sharon All-Star Sextet)
- 1956 *The Ralph Sharon Trio* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 1956 *Mr. and Mrs. Jazz* (With Sue Sharon)
- 1957 *Around the World In Jazz* (As The Ralph Sharon Sextet)
- 1958 *2:38 A.M.*
- 1963 *Modern Innovations On Country and Western Themes*
- 1964 *Do I Hear a Waltz?* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 1965 *The Tony Bennett Songbook* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 1995 *Swings the Sammy Cahn Songbook* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 1996 *Portrait of Harold: The Harold Arlen Songbook* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 1997 *Plays the Harry Warren Songbook* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 1999 *Plays the Frank Loesser Songbook* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 2000 *The Magic of Cole Porter* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 2000 *The Magic of Richard Rodgers* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 2001 *The Magic of Jerome Kern* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 2001 *The Magic of Irving Berlin* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 2001 *The Magic of George Gershwin* (As The Ralph Sharon Trio)
- 2001 *Plays the Ralph Blane Songbook* (As The Ralph Sharon Quartet)
- 2007 *Always: The Music of Irving Berlin*

### As sideman

**With [Tony Bennett](/source/Tony_Bennett)**

- 1957 *[The Beat of My Heart](/source/The_Beat_of_My_Heart)*
- 1962 *[I Left My Heart in San Francisco](/source/I_Left_My_Heart_in_San_Francisco_(album))*
- 1963 *[I Wanna Be Around...](/source/I_Wanna_Be_Around...)*
- 1964 *[When Lights Are Low](/source/When_Lights_Are_Low_(Tony_Bennett_album))*
- 1986 *[The Art of Excellence](/source/The_Art_of_Excellence)*
- 1987 *[Bennett/Berlin](/source/Bennett/Berlin)*
- 1989 *[Astoria: Portrait of the Artist](/source/Astoria:_Portrait_of_the_Artist)*
- 1992 *[Perfectly Frank](/source/Perfectly_Frank)*
- 1992 *[Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album](/source/Snowfall:_The_Tony_Bennett_Christmas_Album)*
- 1993 *[Steppin' Out](/source/Steppin'_Out_(Tony_Bennett_album))*
- 1994 *[MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett](/source/MTV_Unplugged:_Tony_Bennett)* (Live)
- 1995 *[Here's To The Ladies](/source/Here's_To_The_Ladies)*
- 1997 *[Tony Bennett on Holiday](/source/Tony_Bennett_on_Holiday)*
- 1998 *[Tony Bennett: The Playground](/source/Tony_Bennett:_The_Playground)*
- 1999 *[Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool](/source/Bennett_Sings_Ellington:_Hot_%26_Cool)*
- 2001 *[Playing with my friends: Bennett Sings The Blues](/source/Playing_with_my_friends:_Bennett_Sings_The_Blues)*

**With [Johnny Hartman](/source/Johnny_Hartman)**

- *[Songs from the Heart](/source/Songs_from_the_Heart_(Johnny_Hartman_album))* (1955)
- *[All of Me: The Debonair Mr. Hartman](/source/All_of_Me:_The_Debonair_Mr._Hartman)* (1956)

**With [Mel Tormé](/source/Mel_Torm%C3%A9)**

- *[Songs for Any Taste](/source/Songs_for_Any_Taste)* (1957)

## References

1. Colin Larkin (ed.) (2002). *[The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music)*. Third ed. [Virgin Books](/source/Virgin_Books). p. 388. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.

1. Larson, Steve & Kernfeld, Barry, "Feldman, Victor (Stanley) [Vic]", Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, [doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J147800](https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J147800) (subscription required)

1. ["Ralph Sharon dies at 91; pianist brought Tony Bennett his signature song"](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ralph-sharon-20150412-story.html). *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. April 11, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2025.

1. *Autumn Leaves and Spring Fever* - notes on reverse of album cover LFA1138

1. ["Ralph Sharon Longtime Accompanist to Singer Tony Bennett Dies at 91"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/ralph-sharon-longtime-accompanist-to-singer-tony-bennett-dies-at-91/2015/04/04/cd643c1c-dafa-11e4-ba28-f2a685dc7f89_story.html). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*. Retrieved October 28, 2019.

1. ["Ralph Sharon: Interview 1 - National Jazz Archive"](https://nationaljazzarchive.org.uk/explore/interviews/1633650-ralph-sharon-interview-1). *Nationaljazzarchive.org.uk*. March 31, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2025.

1. Ruhlmann, William. ["Ralph Sharon: Biography"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p9640). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20111113201550/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p9640) November 13, 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 14, 2005.

1. ["Tony Bennett - I'll Be Home For Christmas"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIuKXTPBkm4). December 16, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2025. – via [YouTube](/source/YouTube)

## External links

- [Obituary for Ralph Sharon](http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/obituaries/ralph-s-sharon-bandleader-for-tony-bennett-20150402) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150716102831/http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/obituaries/ralph-s-sharon-bandleader-for-tony-bennett-20150402) 2015-07-16 at the Wayback Machine
- [Ralph Sharon interview, part 1](https://nationaljazzarchive.org.uk/explore/interviews/1633650-ralph-sharon-interview-1) and [part 2](https://nationaljazzarchive.org.uk/explore/interviews/1633650-ralph-sharon-interview-2)
- [Steve Albin's Tony Bennett Discography](https://jazzdiscography.com/tony-bennett-discography-intro-page/)
- [Tony Bennett Grammy winning recordings](http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=%22Tony+Bennett%22&field_nominee_work_value=&year=All&genre=All)
- [ Allmusic Biography]
- [Dazzle Jazz Club](http://www.dazzlejazz.com) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20071012111818/http://dazzlejazz.com/) 2007-10-12 at the Wayback Machine

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ralph Sharon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Sharon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Sharon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.