The Grammy Awards Ceremony airs tonight. As the world sits down to watch the most established and distinguished music awards show in the industry, The University of Memphis can boast that one of our own is one of the individuals responsible for its success.
Dr. Richard Ranta, dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts, has been on the Academy’s Television Committee for 18 years.
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which started the Grammy Awards, has been the most visible and effective organization for the preservation and advocacy of music and all those involved with music.
Music has always been a large part of Ranta’s life, beginning as a child growing up in northern Minnesota.
He would take road trips with his parents and the family would sing as they traveled.
Ranta continued to be involved in choirs and theater productions through his youth and into college.
After earning degrees at the University of Minnesota, Cornell University and The University of Iowa, Ranta taught at the University of Virginia for a few years.
When Ranta moved to Memphis in 1972, music came back to the foreground of his life.
“I got involved in the Recording Academy really by coming to Memphis and getting involved in the music scene,” Ranta said.
Ranta was the first interim dean of the University College at The U of M. He helped to create the Commercial Music program, which began as a Recording Technology program.
After putting together a campaign for the NARAS hall of fame to be placed in Memphis, Ranta’s drive and abilities were so impressive that the Academy selected him to assist in overseeing the production of the Grammy Awards Television show.
Since then, Ranta has been an integral part of the Awards show. Ranta is responsible for several facets of the program, from choosing presenters to designing graphics.
“I’m responsible for coordinating graphics for the show,” Ranta said. “All of the pictures other than the people on stage — fly ons, names, awards, subtitles.
“I’m the last link with the academy and the accounting firm to make sure no mistakes were made giving an award to someone who wasn’t suppose to get it. Or not giving one to someone who was.”
Ranta is required to make frequent trips to Los Angeles, along with communicating with his colleagues on a daily basis through conference calls.
According to Ranta, the awards are voted on by Academy members that are involved in various facets of the music industry. There are 101 categories of Grammy Awards and most of the awards are given out before the televised show.
Not only is Ranta an active participant in the television production, he also heads the Education Committee for the NARAS.
The committee spearheads events like the Grammy In Schools program.
Ranta also contributes to the planning of the Premier Player Awards, a local awards program recognizing area musicians.
One of the most memorable moments for Ranta at the Grammy Awards occurred by accident.
“One year, I got to tell Bruce Springsteen that he had won a Grammy,” Ranta said. “He had gotten his first Grammy in the pre-telecast. I’m heavily involved in the pre-telecast awards as well. Bruce hadn’t come until after the pre-telecast. I was down in the audience and said, ‘Congratulations on your Grammy.’ He had this blank look on his face. I realized and said, ‘Let me be the first to congratulate you on your Grammy.’”
The Grammy Awards Ceremony will air tonight at 7 p.m. on CBS.
