{{Short description|American keyboard player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Tim Carmon | image = Tim Carmon.jpg | caption = Tim Carmon | birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S. | origin = Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, California | occupation = Musician, keyboardist, producer, drummer, singer | instruments = Keyboards, piano, organ, synthesizer, drums, vocals | years_active = 1990s–present }}
'''Tim Carmon''' is an American keyboard player, drummer, singer, and producer. He was born a preacher’s son in Washington, D.C., and grew up immersed in the church. Carmon began playing piano in the fourth grade and by the age of twelve was organist for three different churches, including his father’s. He later attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C.<ref name="Yamaha">{{cite web |title=Tim Carmon – Yamaha All Access |url=https://www.yamaha.com/allaccess/artists/issue2-carmon_tim.asp?issue=issue2 |website=Yamaha All Access |access-date=November 7, 2025}}</ref>
Carmon’s career led him to California, where he became known for his musical versatility across gospel, R&B, rock, and pop. His adaptability in the studio quickly placed him in demand by artists in a variety of genres. The roster of musicians with whom Carmon has performed, toured, written, or produced includes Eric Clapton, Babyface, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Queen Latifah, Marcus Miller, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Gladys Knight, B.B. King, Jamie Foxx, Earth, Wind & Fire, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Michael McDonald, Mary J. Blige, and David Sanborn.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carmon, Tim |url=https://whereseric.com/faq/carmon-tim/ |website=Where’s Eric! |access-date=November 7, 2025}}</ref>
Carmon worked with Eric Clapton on ''Babyface Unplugged'' and joined Clapton’s touring band for the 1998 ''Pilgrim'' Tour.<ref name="Reptile">{{cite web |title=Eric Clapton – Reptile (Credits) |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/reptile-mw0000005085/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 7, 2025}}</ref> Additionally, he joined Clapton and B.B. King in the studio for the ''Riding with the King'' sessions in February 2000.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eric Clapton & B.B. King – Riding With The King (Credits) |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/riding-with-the-king-mw0000056313/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 7, 2025}}</ref>
He rejoined Clapton’s touring band briefly for U.S. dates in 2004 when substituting for Billy Preston, and later participated in Clapton’s 2006–2007 world tour and the 2009 Ireland/UK run, which included an 11-night residency at London’s Royal Albert Hall.<ref name="Yamaha" />
Beyond touring, Carmon has contributed to a range of recording and film projects. He provided arrangements, piano, and keyboards for the film adaptation of ''Dreamgirls'' in collaboration with R&B producers The Underdogs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tim Carmon Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tim-carmon-mn0000781160/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 7, 2025}}</ref> He also took part in the 50-year anniversary revision of “Lady Sings the Blues”.
In addition to his work with Eric Clapton, Carmon has collaborated with a wide range of contemporary artists including Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Beyoncé, and Alya Michelson.<ref>{{cite web |title=Justin Bieber – Justice (Album Credits) |url=https://musicbrainz.org/release/9e7845a7-92c5-4697-a85a-0fccf2267e1a |website=MusicBrainz |access-date=November 10, 2025}}</ref> He has also contributed to the soundtracks of more than fifty feature films, including ''Sinners'', ''A Complete Unknown'' (the Bob Dylan biopic), and the 2023 remake of ''The Color Purple''. Over the course of his career, he has appeared on more than 250 albums spanning gospel, R&B, and pop.
Carmon has served as a music producer for national events at the White House, including the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony and concerts held on the White House lawn.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Christmas Tree Lighting Program 2021 |url=https://www.thenationaltree.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2021NCTL_Program.pdf |website=The National Tree |access-date=November 10, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=National Christmas Tree Lighting – Event Overview |url=https://www.thenationaltree.org/2022/10/ |website=The National Tree |access-date=November 10, 2025}}</ref> He also served as music supervisor for ''American Idol'' for three consecutive seasons, overseeing live performance arrangements and artist accompaniment.
==Awards and nominations== Carmon appears on ''Send One Your Love'' by Boney James, which was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.<ref name="BoneySOYL">{{cite web |title=Boney James – Send One Your Love (Credits) |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/send-one-your-love-mw0000815198/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 7, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=52nd Annual Grammy Awards Nominees |url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/52nd-annual-grammy-awards |website=The Recording Academy |access-date=November 7, 2025}}</ref>
==Selected credits== * Eric Clapton – ''Reptile'' (2001) – Hammond organ, acoustic piano, synthesizer.<ref name="Reptile" /> * B.B. King & Eric Clapton – ''Riding With The King'' (2000) – organ.<ref>{{cite web |title=Riding With The King – Album Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/riding-with-the-king-mw0000056313/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 7, 2025}}</ref> * Michael McDonald – ''Motown Two'' (2004) – piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, synthesizer, organ.<ref>{{cite web |title=Michael McDonald – Motown Two (Credits) |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/motown-two-mw0000396927/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 7, 2025}}</ref> * Boney James – ''Send One Your Love'' (2009) – keyboards, arrangements, keyboard bass.<ref name="BoneySOYL" /> * ''Dreamgirls'' (2006) – arrangements, piano, keyboards.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dreamgirls (2006) – Music Department |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443489/fullcredits/ |website=IMDb |access-date=November 7, 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tim-carmon-mn0000781160|AllMusic profile}} * [https://www.yamaha.com/allaccess/artists/issue2-carmon_tim.asp?issue=issue2 Yamaha All Access – Tim Carmon profile] * [https://whereseric.com/faq/carmon-tim/ Where’s Eric! – Tim Carmon biography]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carmon, Tim}} Category:Living people Category:American keyboardists Category:American organists Category:Musicians from Washington, D.C. Category:21st-century American musicians Category:Year of birth missing (living people)