Roy Cicala

Roy Cicala (born Roy Joel Cicala in New Haven, Connecticut) is an American producer, engineer, song-writer and musician. His body of work includes over 10 Platinum Records for producing, writing, engineering and management for talent from the 1970s through till today. His biography has been written by Brazilian journalist Claudio Tognolli.

Cicala is known as one of the best producers and sound engineers of the world. For almost 20 years at Record Plant Studios in New York (1968–87), he recorded and produced some of the greatest artists of modern music, including John Lennon, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Frank Sinatra, Dire Straits, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Harry Nilsson, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Ray Charles, Queen, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Liza Minnelli, Roberta Flack, Patti La Belle, Van Morrison, Don McLean, The Who, Johnny Winter, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Frank Zappa, Lou Reed, Prince, Santana, Sarah Vaughan, Charles Mingus and many others.

Cicala began working freelance engineering jobs in New York when he took over Record Plant Studios piloting mega-albums hits as chief engineer. He was an engineer on the first album ever recorded at Record Plant Studios, Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, released in 1968. Through the years, he worked on hundreds of albums. During the 1970s, house engineers Shelley Yakus and Roy Cicala gave many local bands their start by donating session time and materials to upcoming artists, engineering and producing their demo tapes. While at Record Plant, Cicala was involved with a wide range of projects, including doing the remote work for the "Live Aid" concert in 1985. Record Plant closed in 1989.

Cicala worked with John Lennon just before The Beatles broke up in 1970. Cicala engineered John and Yoko's first solo compilation Plastic Ono Band and went on to work with John on many other of his solo projects. including Imagine, Mind Games and Double Fantasy. He also is credited with writing the song Incantation. Ex-wife Lori Burton co-wrote songs with Cicala for John and Yoko. He has two children, son Jade and daughter Shaune.