June 16, 2020
Soundtrack Of Our Lives: A Celebration For The Film & TV Music Community Benefiting Musicares® Covid-19 Relief Fund
Members of the Film & TV Music community, made up of composers, songwriters, music editors, music supervisors, studio executives and more, are contributing their talents to Soundtrack Of Our Lives: A Celebration For The Film & TV Music Community, an online benefit event for MusiCares® COVID-19 Relief Fund. This specially produced program debuts June 25th, 2020, at noon pacific on YouTube, and will honor the talented people whose scores and songs transport, inspire, uplift and entertain us by creating the “soundtrack of our lives.” The fun, delightful and heartfelt hour-long special will feature leading and iconic singers, composers, songwriters, actors, celebrity guests and others while celebrating glorious Film & TV Music moments with heart and humor. Donations to MusiCares®COVID-19 Relief Fund will be encouraged throughout the show.
“Thousands of music professionals and creators are struggling during this pandemic and remain in desperate need of assistance,” says Debbie Carroll, Vice President Health and Human Services MusiCares. “The continued support from the music community during these turbulent times has been heartwarming and inspiring. The power of music unites us all and gives us hope for better days ahead.”
Over 75 film and television composers and songwriters, “From A to Z, Abels to Zimmer,” will appear in this program. Collectively, this prestigious group has been nominated for 273 Grammys (with 87 wins), 216 Emmys (with 51 wins) and 136 Oscars (with 34 wins).
Confirmed performers and special guests include Sting, Catherine O’Hara, Ming-Na Wen, Patti LuPone, William Shatner, Elisabeth Moss, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Marla Gibbs, Jane Levy, Mandy Moore, Richard Kind, Alex Newell, Zachary Levi, Paul Reubens, Kiernan Shipka, Harvey Fierstein, Ginnifer Goodwin, Anika Noni Rose, Kasi Lemmons, Ted Danson, Auli’i Cravalho, Darren Criss, Drew Carey, Ray Romano, Holly Hunter, Reba McEntire, Bob Saget, Ken Page, Lucy Lawless, Mary Steenburgen, Dave Coulier, Kevin Smith, Peter Gallagher, Naomi Scott, Annie Potts, Clive Davis, Jodi Benson, Harvey Mason Jr., Susan Egan, Paige O’Hara, John Stamos, Andra Day and Rita Wilson.
Composers and songwriters participating include Michael Abels, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Angelo Badalamenti, Glen Ballard, Lesley Barber, Nathan Barr, Tyler Bates, Jeff Beal, Marco Beltrami, Alan Bergman, Terence Blanchard, Jongnic Bontemps, Kathryn Bostic, Kris Bowers, Jon Brion, Nicholas Britell, Bruce Broughton, BT, Carter Burwell, Sean Callery, Joshuah Brian Campbell, Lisa Coleman, John Debney, Tan Dun, Fil Eisler, Danny Elfman, Charles Fox, Germaine Franco, Harry Gregson-Williams, Hildur Gudnadóttir, Alex Heffes, Joe Hisaishi, James Newton Howard, Justin Hurwitz, Ashley Irwin, Mark Isham, Steve Jablonsky, Amanda Jones, Laura Karpman, Christopher Lennertz, Joe LoDuca, Robert Lopez, Mark Mancina, Gabriel Mann, Clint Mansell, Dennis McCarthy, Bear McCreary, Alan Menken, Bruce Miller, John Murphy, Starr Parodi, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Daniel Pemberton, Michael Penn, Heitor Pereira, Rachel Portman, Mike Post, A. R. Rahman, Tim Rice, Lolita Ritmanis, Dan Romer, Anna Rose, Jeff Russo, Arturo Sandoval, Lalo Schifrin, Marc Shaiman, Teddy Shapiro, Richard M. Sherman, David Shire, Rob Simonsen, Mark Snow, Tamar-kali, Dara Taylor, Pinar Toprak, Brian Tyler, Nick Urata, Benjamin Wallfisch, Diane Warren, Mervyn Warren, Paul Williams, Austin Wintory, Alan Zachary, Geoff Zanelli, Marcelo Zarvos, David Zippel and Hans Zimmer.
Some highlights of the special include:
- Members of the Film & TV Music community deliver heartfelt messages of hope, solidarity & encouragement.
- “Musicians!” – a humorous musical tribute to the Film & TV Music community featuring Zachary Levi, Patti LuPone, Alex Newell, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Peter Gallagher and Harvey Fierstein. Tony Award winner and Disney Legend Anika Noni Rose highlights the history of African American composers, songwriters, and artists who have contributed to the Film & TV Music industry through the years.
- Performers Danny Elfman, Catherine O’Hara, Paul Reubens and Ken Page reunite to perform a song from the film The Nightmare Before Christmas.
- Eight-time Academy Award winning composer Alan Menken performs his timeless song, “A Whole New World,” alongside his daughter, Anna Rose, introduced by Aladdin (2019) stars Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott.
- Stars from beloved animated features step out from behind the microphone to lend their voices to inspirational messages, featuring Irene Bedard, Jodi Benson, Auli’i Cravalho, Holly Hunter, Mandy Moore, Susan Egan, Ginnifer Goodwin, Linda Larkin, Paige O’Hara, Annie Potts, Anika Noni Rose and Ming-Na Wen.
- John Stamos hosts “Name That TV Tune!” with celebrity panelists including Elisabeth Moss, Drew Carey, Ray Romano, Eve Plumb, Reba McEntire, Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, Marla Gibbs, Lucy Lawless and Kevin Smith competing to identify famous TV themes.
- Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist actor Jane Levy invites us into the dreamworld of her Extraordinary Soundtrack Playlist. Various performers, including members of the original cast of La La Land, sing a parody version of “Another Day of Sun.”
- William Shatner explores how different scores can give the same film a different meaning as an exasperated director, played by Richard Kind, leads a composer in multiple directions for a short film starring Kiernan Shipka and Christian Coppola.
- Songwriter Paul Williams performs his classic song “The Rainbow Connection,” from The Muppet Movie, joined by various special guests from the Film & TV Music community. Tony- and Emmy-winner and seven-time Oscar® nominee Marc Shaiman performs an original song tribute to end title sequences.
MusiCares® COVID-19 Relief Fund was created by MusiCares® to provide support to the music community during the pandemic crisis. The music industry has been essentially shut down with the cancellation of music performances, events, festivals, conferences and the many other live events that are the cornerstone of the shared music experience. Since the fund’s establishment in March, over 14,000 clients have been served, with many more still needing help.
Show co-creator Peter Rotter says: “When the pandemic tragically hit our world and began to shut down our film music community, I felt that something needed to be done to help those who were in need of support and care. Through MusiCares® we have found the charitable vehicle that can come alongside our hurting musical family.
“Music has always played a role in history; reflecting both the subtle and monumental moments of our lives through its unique DNA. Music connects each of us, acting as a common thread of unification, opening the hearts of all people. Regardless of the color of one’s skin, status or station in life, music powerfully breaks through boundaries as its message permeates deep within us; healing our human frailties and condition at our cores. Music is transformative and personal. It powerfully underscores our lives.”
“Music has always helped transport, uplift and inspire us through wars, economic hardships, health crises and societal upheavals,” says show co-creator, Richard Kraft. “When COVID-19 hit, it threatened the lives and livelihood of much of our Film & TV Music community. So, we decided to create an online special that both celebrates the soundtrack of our lives and benefits, via MusiCares®, the artists who create it.”
Starting June 25th at noon pacific, watch the video on YouTube via Rolling Stone, Variety & GRAMMY’s channels, as well as on www.soundtracklives.com. Follow on https://facebook.com/soundtrackofourlives2020/
https://instagram.com/soundtrackofourlives2020/
https://twitter.com/soundtrack2020/
For more information on how to apply for financial assistance visit: www.musicares.org, to donate to Soundtrack Lives, see www.soundtracklives.com
