# Ram Ramirez

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Puerto Rican born jazz pianist and composer

**Roger** "**Ram**" **Ramirez** (September 15, 1913 – 11 January 1994) was a Puerto Rican [jazz](/source/Jazz) pianist and composer. He was a co-composer of the song "[Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)](/source/Lover_Man_(Oh%2C_Where_Can_You_Be%3F))"

## Early life

Ramirez was born in [San Juan, Puerto Rico](/source/San_Juan%2C_Puerto_Rico) on September 15, 1913.[1] He grew up in New York and started playing the piano at a young age.[1]

## Later life and career

Ramirez's first professional performances were in the early 1930s.[1] In 1933 he played with [Monette Moore](/source/Monette_Moore), then with [Rex Stewart](/source/Rex_Stewart) and [Sid Catlett](/source/Sid_Catlett) in New York.[1] He joined [Willie Bryant](/source/Willie_Bryant) in 1935, and toured Europe with [Bobby Martin](/source/Bobby_Martin_(musician)) in 1937.[1] During the first half of the 1940s Ramirez played with [Ella Fitzgerald](/source/Ella_Fitzgerald), [Frankie Newton](/source/Frankie_Newton), [Charlie Barnet](/source/Charlie_Barnet), [John Kirby](/source/John_Kirby_(musician)), and Catlett, in addition to leading his own band.[1]

Ramirez wrote "[Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)](/source/Lover_Man_(Oh%2C_Where_Can_You_Be%3F))" in 1942,[2] which became a jazz standard following [Billie Holiday](/source/Billie_Holiday)'s recording of it two years later.[1] He was a freelance into the mid-1950s, when he added electronic organ to his instruments.[1] In 1953 he was in one of [Duke Ellington's](/source/Duke_Ellington) small groups, as a substitute.[3]

Ramirez again toured Europe in 1968, this time with [T-Bone Walker](/source/T-Bone_Walker).[1] In 1979 and 1980 he was part of the [Harlem Blues and Jazz Band](/source/Harlem_Blues_and_Jazz_Band), including for appearances in Germany.[1] He also freelanced after this,[1] and retired for health reasons in 1987.[2] Ramirez was married to Marcy and had a daughter.[2] He died of kidney failure in [Queens](/source/Queens), New York City[2] on January 11, 1994.[1]

## Discography (selection)

- Ram Ramirez: *Live in Harlem* (Black & Blue)

- Ram Ramirez: "Fine and Mellow" (RCA) (as "Roger Ram")

- Ram Ramirez: "I'll Remember April" (RCA) (as "Roger Ram")

- [Putney Dandridge](/source/Putney_Dandridge): 1935–1936 (Classics)

- *The Duke's Men – Small Groups, Vol. 1* (Columbia, 1934–38)

- [Ella Fitzgerald](/source/Ella_Fitzgerald): 1939–1940 (Classics)

- [Helen Humes](/source/Helen_Humes): 1945–1946 (Classics)

- [John Kirby](/source/John_Kirby_(musician)): 1945–1946 (Classics)

- [Ike Quebec](/source/Ike_Quebec): 1944–1946 (Classics), *The Blue Note Swingtets* (Blue Note, 1944)

- [Rex Stewart](/source/Rex_Stewart): 1934–1946 (Classics)

- [Annie Ross](/source/Annie_Ross) & [King Pleasure](/source/King_Pleasure): *Sings* (OJC, 1952, 1953)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-Grove_1-11) Vollmer, Albert (2003), *Ramirez, Ram (Roger)*, Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J369300](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fgmo%2F9781561592630.article.J369300)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NYT_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NYT_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-NYT_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-NYT_2-3) ["Roger Ramirez, 80; Wrote 'Lover Man'"](https://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/17/obituaries/roger-ramirez-80-wrote-lover-man.html). *The New York Times*. January 17, 1994.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Peña, Tomas. ["Boricua Jazz Pioneer, Rogelio "Ram" Ramirez (1913-1994) - JazzDeLaPena"](https://jazzdelapena.com/puerto-rico-project/boricua-jazz-pioneer-rogelio-ram-ramirez-1913-1994/).

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