Buck Ram (November 21, 1907 Chicago, Illinois - January 1, 1991 Las Vegas, Nevada) was an American songwriter, and popular music producer and arranger.
He was born Samuel Ram to Jewish parents. It has been written that the history of rock and roll could not be written without Buck Ram's contributions. He was one of BMI's top five songwriters/air play in its first 50 years, alongside Paul Simon, Kris Kristofferson and Paul McCartney. Ram also wrote, produced and/or arranged for The Coasters, The Drifters, Ike and Tina Turner, Ike Cole, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, and many others.
Ram is now mainly remembered for his long association with The Platters, whom he signed to a management contract in 1953. Ram was working as a talent manager, A&R man and saxophone player in a dance band when Tony Williams, the brother of one of Ram's clients, auditioned for him. Ram was looking for a group to sing the songs he wrote and found the voice he was looking for in Williams. He built The Platters around him. Ram arranged and produced all recordings by The Platters, from their signing with Mercury Records until his death, and wrote their biggest hits including "Only You (And You Alone)", "The Great Pretender". "Magic Touch", and "Twilight Time".