In memory of Randy Siegmeister
1956-2005

Mr. Siegmeister was born in Pensacola, Fla., and raised in Pikesville. He was a maternal grandson of Isaac and Dora Silber, who founded Silber's Bakery in Baltimore in 1905.

Mr. Siegmeister's interest in music began in his childhood as a 1974 graduate of Pikesville High School where he was also a quarterback on the school's football team.

He attended the Baltimore International School of the Culinary Arts and the Rochester Conservatory of Music, and after deciding not to pursue a career as a professional musician, became a sound engineer in 1980 for Maryland Sound International Holding Co. in Dickeyville.

"We grew up with music and always had a piano at home. Randy played drums, piano, bass guitar and was a composer, and during high school played with a trio," said his brother, Mark K. Siegmeister, a professional musician who lives in Welches, Oregon.

"I remember Randy watching the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, and they became a big influence and the template for the way he thought music should sound. Also, he had an ear and a sensitivity for good, quality music. In his work, he approached his job not as a technician, but a musician," he said.

Outside of the six years when he worked for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra from 1997 to 2003, Mr. Siegmeister spent the majority of his career with Maryland Sound International Holding Co.

"I've known Randy for close to 30 years, and he is a wonderful human being. He was smart and made friends easily," said Bob Goldstein, president and owner of Maryland Sound International Holding Co.

"He was a level-headed guy who knew what sounded good and what doesn't. He could conceive and design sound systems from scratch in his head to meet the clients' needs. Whatever they wanted, he could do."

For years, he mixed music at the annual Grammy Awards and the American Music Awards television show.

He also mixed sound for many artists represented by Sony Music International, where he was a consultant.

Mr. Siegmeister worked closely for years with Daryl Hall and John Oates, Juice Newton, Anita Baker, Mariah Carey and such groups as Tears for Fears, Crack the Sky and Kid Creole and the Coconuts.

During his career, he also had been associated with such artists as Aretha Franklin, Pink Floyd, Whitney Houston, Bette Midler, Ann Murray, Michael Bolton, Kenny G and Waylon Jennings.

"He always focused on the task at hand, and was never shaken by celebrities. Surrounded by chaos and egos, he was always the calm in the storm," his brother said. "And he made [it] understood that he was giving them everything he could, within limits."

"He had a huge reputation in the business, and that's why I hired him to work with such budding clients as Mariah Carey, and he did a great job. With the major stars, he was one of the three engineers they preferred to work with," said Bill Beatty, former senior vice president for Sony Music International, who is now a consultant.

One of Mr. Siegmeister's clients who had a reputation for firing sound engineers with great regularity was Anita Baker, whom he won over not only with his technical abilities and personality, but with his refusal to put up with her criticism, his brother said. "He quit a few times but always came back because she loved the way he mixed her music."

"He could coddle difficult and temperamental celebrities, and they respected his work. He was able to kick back and get along with them. Even though he knew these people, he was a very modest man," said his wife of nine years, the former Margaret Csobaji.

A highlight of his career was handling the sound for the inaugurations of presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, and working special events at the White House.

"When he was setting up the sound for Reagan's inauguration in 1980, something happened and Randy was tackled by several Secret Service agents," his wife said, laughing.

Mr. Siegmeister, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer six years ago, kept working until two months before his death.

"He just looked forward to the next treatment and did everything he could do to fight [the disease]. He never complained and refused to give in to it," his wife said. "Even though music was a big part of Randy's life, the last 10 years when he had a family, that became the most important thing and brought him great happiness."

Mr. Siegmeister was an avid skier, golfer and photographer.

In addition to his wife and brother, he is also survived by a son, Samuel S. Siegmeister, 8; a daughter, Sydney P. Siegmeister, 6; his father and stepmother, Bob and Carol Siegmeister of Pikesville; his mother and stepfather, Evelyn and Stan Krohn of Baltimore; a sister, Laura S. Applestein of Columbia; and several nieces and a nephew.

Make a donation:
Hospice of Baltimore
Attn: Development Office
6601 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21204
https://www.gbmc.org/hospice/contributions/index.cfm