American composer, arranger, producer, and pianist
Dave Grusin
Grusin in 2008
Born Robert David Grusin
(1934-06-26 ) June 26, 1934 (age 91) Spouse Nan Newton Children Three Relatives Don Grusin Musical career Genres Occupations Instruments Years active 1962–present Labels GRP Musical artist
Robert David Grusin (born June 26,[ a] Academy Award and 10Grammy Awards . Grusin was also a frequent collaborator with directorSydney Pollack , scoring many of his films likeThree Days of the Condor Absence of Malice Tootsie The Firm Random Hearts GRP Records withLarry Rosen , and was an early pioneer ofdigital recording .[ 1] [ 3] [ 4]
Grusin was born inLittleton, Colorado , to Henri and Rosabelle (née de Poyster) Grusin. His family originates from theGruzinsky princely line of theBagrationi dynasty , the royal family that ruled theKingdom of Georgia in the ninth to 19th centuries. In Slavic languages, "Grusin" is anethnonym forGeorgians .[ 5] Jewish ancestry who was born and raised inRiga ,Latvia , then part ofthe Russian Empire , from where he emigrated tothe United States in 1913.[ 6] [ 7] [ 8] Don Grusin .
Grusin studied music at theUniversity of Colorado at Boulder and graduated in 1956.[ 9] Cecil Effinger , and Wayne Scott, a pianist, arranger, and professor of jazz.[ 10]
Grusin produced his first single in 1962, "Subways Are for Sleeping", and his first film score, forDivorce American Style The Graduate Winning The Friends of Eddie Coyle The Midnight Man Three Days of the Condor [ 9]
In 1978, Grusin foundedGRP Records with his business partnerLarry Rosen , and began producing some of the first commercial digital recordings. Grusin was the composer forOn Golden Pond Tootsie The Goonies Oscar for Best Original Score forThe Milagro Beanfield War TriStar Pictures logo (which was credited at the end ofLook Who's Talking Too Columbia Pictures Television logo.[ 11]
In 1998, Grusin ranked #5 and #8 onBillboard ' s Top 10 Jazz Artists, at mid-year and at year's end, respectively, based on sales of his album "Dave Grusin PresentsWest Side Story ."[ 12] [ 13]
From 2000–11, Grusin concentrated on classical and jazz compositions, touring and recording with collaborators including jazz singer and lyricistLorraine Feather [ 14] Lee Ritenour . Their albumHarlequin Two Worlds Amparo [ 15] [ 16]
Grusin has a filmography of about 100 titles. His many awards include anOscar for best original score forThe Milagro Beanfield War The Champ The Fabulous Baker Boys The Firm Havana Heaven Can Wait On Golden Pond [ 17] Tootsie The Graduate Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? Three Days of the Condor The Goonies Tequila Sunrise Hope Floats Random Hearts The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Mulholland Falls The Firm TriStar Pictures .[ 18]
Grusin composed theme music for the TV programsGood Morning World It Takes a Thief The Name of the Game Dan August The Sandy Duncan Show Maude Good Times Baretta St. Elsewhere Televisa in Mexico,Tres Generaciones (1987). He composed music for individual episodes of each of those shows. Grusin's other TV credits includeThe Wild Wild West The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. Columbo: Prescription: Murder One Life to Live [ 19] This Is America, Charlie Brown Kenny G ) appear on the tribute albumHappy Anniversary, Charlie Brown Snoopy: The Cool Computer Game .
In 1994, GRP was in charge ofMCA 's jazz operations. Founders Grusin and Rosen left in the following year and were replaced byTommy LiPuma . In 1997, Grusin and Rosen foundedN2K Encoded Music , which was renamedN-Coded Music .[ 9]
Grusin receivedhonorary doctorates fromBerklee College of Music in 1988 andUniversity of Colorado , College of Music in 1989. He was initiated into the Beta Chi chapter ofPhi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at the University of Colorado in 1991.[ 20]
Grusin has been married to Nan Newton for many years and they have three adult sons: Scott, Michael, and Stuart. He is also the stepfather of Nan's adult daughter, Annie Vought. Grusin is the subject of a 2018 feature-length documentary, “Dave Grusin: Not Enough Time.”[citation needed
Over a 15-year period from 1979–1994, Grusin won anAcademy Award , and received seven more nominations.[ 21] [ 22] Grammy Awards and won 10.[ 4]
Dates given are those of the relevantAwards ceremony , not when the films were released.
Winner,Best Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special :The Graduate Paul Simon .[ 31] [ 32] Winner, Best Arrangement on an Instrumental: Summer Sketches '82 (1982), "Early A.M. Attitude " (1986), "Suite" forThe Milagro Beanfield War (1990), "Bess You Is My Woman/I Loves You Porgy" (1991), "Mood Indigo" (1993), "Three Cowboy Songs" (1994)[ 4] Winner, Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals: "My Funny Valentine" by Michelle Pfeiffer (1989), "Mean Old Man" by James Taylor (2002)[ 4] Winner, Best Album Original Score Written for Motion Picture or Television:The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) Nomination, Best Original Score:Selena [ 4] Golden Globe Awards [ edit ] Nomination, Best Original Score:The Milagro Beanfield War (1988),The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989),Havana (1990),For the Boys Subways Are for Sleeping (Epic , 1962)Piano, Strings, and Moonlight (Epic, 1962)[ 33] Kaleidoscope (Columbia , 1964)Divorce American Style United Artists , 1967) – soundtrackThe Graduate The Heart is a Lonely Hunter The Ghost & Mrs. Muir The Name of the Game [ 34] Candy Three Days of the Condor DRG /EMI , 1975) – soundtrackDiscovered Again! Don't Touch (Versatile, 1977)One of a Kind GRP , 1977)Heaven Can Wait The Champ Varèse Sarabande , 1979) – soundtrackMountain Dance (GRP, 1979) - AUS #100[ 35] The Electric Horseman Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Stars Live in Japan (JVC, 1980)On Golden Pond Out of the Shadows Tootsie Night-Lines Dave Grusin and the NY-LA Dream Band Racing with the Moon The Pope of Greenwich Village Harlequin Lee Ritenour ) (GRP, 1985)The Goonies Lucas (Varèse Sarabande, 1986)Cinemagic GRP Live in Session (GRP, 1988)Sticks and Stones Don Grusin ) (GRP, 1988)Migration The Fabulous Baker Boys A Dry White Season The Bonfire of the Vanities Atlantic , 1990) - soundtrackHavana The Gershwin Connection GRP Super Live in Concert (GRP, 1992)Homage to Duke The Firm Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live! The Orchestral Album The Cure Two for the Road Mulholland Falls (Cinerama, 1996) - soundtrackSelena Angel , 1997) - soundtrackWest Side Story (N-Coded , 1997)Hope Floats Random Hearts Sony , 1999)Two Worlds Decca , 2000)Dinner with Friends Portrait of Bill Evans (JVC, 2002) [2 tracks]Now Playing Amparo The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. An Evening with Dave Grusin (Heads Up , 2010)One Night Only! (C.A.R.E./Intergroove, 2011)[ 36] Brasil (Candid, 2024)[ 37]
WithPatti Austin
Withthe Brothers Johnson
WithTom Browne
WithDon Grusin
10k-LA (JVC, 1981)Native Land (GRP, 1993)The Hang (Sovereign, 2004)WithQuincy Jones
WithJohn Klemmer
Touch (ABC, 1975)Barefoot Ballet (ABC, 1976)WithEarl Klugh
WithJon Lucien
Rashida (RCA, 1973)Mind's Eye (RCA, 1974)Song for My Lady (Columbia, 1975)WithHarvey Mason
Marching in the Street (Arista, 1976)Funk in a Mason Jar (Arista, 1977)With All My Heart WithCarmen McRae
WithSergio Mendes
Homecooking (Elektra, 1976)Sergio Mendes & the New Brasil '77 (Elektra, 1977)WithGerry Mulligan
Little Big Horn (GRP, 1983)Dragonfly (Telarc Jazz, 1995)WithLee Ritenour
First Course Epic , 1976)Gentle Thoughts JVC 1977)Captain Fingers Friendship The Captain's Journey Rio Feel the Night Discovery , 1979)On the Line (GRP, 1983)"Harlequin" (GRP, 1985) Earth Run Festival World of Brazil (GRP, 2003)Overtime (Peak , 2005)Smoke 'N' Mirrors (Peak, 2006)Rhythm Sessions (Concord , 2012)A Twist of Rit (Concord, 2015)WithDiane Schuur
Deedles (1985)Timeless (1986)WithJames Taylor
WithDave Valentin
Legends (Arista GRP, 1978)The Hawk (GRP, 1979)Flute Juice (GRP, 1983)Kalahari (GRP, 1984)WithSarah Vaughan
WithSadao Watanabe
My Dear Life (Flying Disk, 1977)California Shower (Flying Disk, 1978)Morning Island (Flying Disk, 1979)How's Everything (Columbia, 1980)[2LP] – liveOrange Express (CBS/Sony, 1981)Encore! (Victor, 2016)With others
George Benson ,20/20 Angela Bofill ,Angel of the Night (Arista, 1979)Ray Brown ,Brown's Bag (Concord Jazz, 1976)Bobby Broom ,Clean Sweep (Arista GRP, 1981)Judy Collins ,Home Again (Elektra, 1984)Eddie Daniels ,Blackwood (GRP, 1989)Kevin Eubanks ,Face to Face (GRP, 1986)Art Farmer ,Crawl Space Eric Gale ,Part of You (Columbia, 1979)Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band ,Act Your Age Lesley Gore ,Love Me by Name (A&M, 1976)Jay Hoggard ,Days Like These (GRP, 1979)Al Jarreau ,We Got By (Reprise, 1975)Billy Joel ,52nd Street Chaka Khan ,ck Peggy Lee ,Let's Love Bette Midler ,For the Boys Melba Moore ,Peach Melba (Buddah, 1975)Alphonse Mouzon ,The Man Incognito Noel Pointer ,Phantazia (Blue Note, 1977)The Rippingtons ,Curves Ahead Howard Roberts ,Equinox Express Elevator Phoebe Snow ,Against the Grain (CBS, 1978)Donna Summer ,Donna Summer Grover Washington Jr. ,A Secret Place Nancy Wilson ,This Mother's Daughter Bill Withers ,Making Music [ 38]
^ Some sources give Grusin's date of birth as June 24,[ 1] [ 2] [ 3] ^a b Blim, Dan (2014) [2013]."Grusin, Dave" Grove Music Online doi :10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2262383 . RetrievedDecember 18, 2022 . ^ Bordowitz, Hank (2001)."Grusin, Dave" . InSlonimsky, Nicolas & Kuhn, Laura (eds.).Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians 1383– 1384.ISBN 0028655273 . RetrievedDecember 20, 2022 . ^a b Adams, Michael (2009)."Grusin, Dave" . In Cramer, Andrew W. (ed.).Musicians & Composers of the 20th Century 543– 546.ISBN 9781587655142 . RetrievedDecember 18, 2022 . ^a b c d e "Dave Grusin" .Grammy Awards . RetrievedDecember 12, 2022 .^ "It's A Small World After All" .georgianjournal.ge . March 15, 2012. RetrievedAugust 21, 2023 .^ Lees, Gene."The Jewish Contribution" (PDF) .World Radio History . RetrievedSeptember 26, 2022 . High Fidelity ^ "Dave Grusin Page" (PDF) .Soul Walking . RetrievedJanuary 9, 2018 .^ "Dave Grusin Biography" .Film Reference . RetrievedApril 22, 2019 .^a b c "The Dave Grusin manuscripts An inventory of holdings at the American Music Research Center" (PDF) . American Music Research Center. RetrievedApril 22, 2019 .^ "Cecil Effinger Interview with Bruce Duffie" .Bruce Duffie . RetrievedApril 22, 2019 .^ "Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen. Behind the scenes, they're ahead of their times" (PDF) .Billboard ISSN 0006-2510 . RetrievedDecember 18, 2022 .^ "Year-to-Date Jazz Charts" (PDF) .Billboard . Vol. 110, no. 26. New York. June 27, 1998. p. 44.ISSN 0006-2510 . RetrievedDecember 18, 2022 .^ "The Year in Music 1998 – Top Jazz Artists / Top Jazz Albums" (PDF) .Billboard . Vol. 110, no. 52. New York. p. YE79. RetrievedDecember 18, 2022 .^ Kaufman, Joanne (March 2, 2018)."When Your Home Has a History" .The New York Times . RetrievedApril 22, 2019 . ^ Daniels, Melissa (June 20, 2008)."Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin to Return with 'Amparo' .JazzTimes . RetrievedApril 22, 2019 . ^ Soergel, Brian (October 1, 2008)."Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin: Amparo" .JazzTimes . RetrievedApril 22, 2019 . ^ On Golden Pond (Main Theme) Sheet Music . Hal Leonard Corporation. October 1986.ISBN 978-1-4950-4316-1 ^ "Tri-Star Logo Theme by Dave Grusin - Most Popular Songs" . Archived fromthe original on May 12, 2013. RetrievedMarch 21, 2014 .^ "One Life To Live" .Daytime Soap Opera Theme Songs and Main Titles . RetrievedMarch 7, 2022 .^ "Charles E. Lutton Man of Music" . RetrievedApril 22, 2019 .^ Burlingame, Dave (November 6, 2020)."At 86, Oscar-Winning Composer Dave Grusin Is Ready to Tour Again When the COVID-19 Pandemic Subsides" .Variety . RetrievedDecember 20, 2022 . ^ Kinn, Gail & Piazza, Jim (2014).The Academy Awards: The Complete Unofficial History ISBN 9781579129866 Internet Archive . ^ "The 61st Academy Awards, 1989" .Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . RetrievedDecember 19, 2022 .^ "The 51st Academy Awards, 1979" .Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . October 5, 2014. RetrievedDecember 19, 2022 .^ "The 52nd Academy Awards, 1980" .Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . March 2022. RetrievedDecember 19, 2022 .^ "The 54th Academy Awards, 1982" .Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . March 2022. RetrievedDecember 19, 2022 .^ "The 62nd Academy Awards, 1990" .Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . October 5, 2014. RetrievedDecember 19, 2022 .^ "The 63rd Academy Awards, 1991" .Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . October 4, 2014. RetrievedDecember 19, 2022 .^ "The 66th Academy Awards, 1994" .Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . October 4, 2014. RetrievedDecember 19, 2022 .^ "The 55th Academy Awards, 1983" .Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . October 5, 2014. RetrievedDecember 19, 2022 .^ O'Neil, Thomas (1999).The Grammys: The Ultimate, Unofficial Guide to Music's Highest Honor ISBN 0399524770 . RetrievedDecember 18, 2022 – via Internet Archive. ^ McPhate, Tim (May 15, 2017)." .Grammy Awards . RetrievedDecember 18, 2022 . ^ "The Key is Versatility" (PDF) .Billboard . Vol. 74, no. 48. New York. December 1, 1962. p. 47. RetrievedDecember 18, 2022 .^ "Dave Grusin Work Chronology" . Archived fromthe original on October 14, 2023. RetrievedSeptember 17, 2023 .^ Kent, David (1993).Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 130.ISBN 0-646-11917-6 ^ "Dave Grusin | Album Discography | AllMusic" .AllMusic . RetrievedApril 22, 2019 .^ "Dave Grusin | Album Discography | AllMusic" .Discogs . RetrievedMarch 23, 2025 .^ "Dave Grusin | Credits | AllMusic" .AllMusic . RetrievedApril 22, 2019 .
Studio albums Compilation albums Collaboration albums Soundtrack albums Live albums Related
Awards for Dave Grusin
1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s Superman John Williams (1980)The Empire Strikes Back John Williams (1981)Raiders of the Lost Ark John Williams (1982)E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial John Williams (1983)Flashdance Michael Boddicker ,Irene Cara ,Kim Carnes ,Doug Cotler ,Keith Forsey , Richard Gilbert,Jerry Hey , Duane Hitchings,Craig Krampf , Ronald Magness, Dennis Matkosky,Giorgio Moroder ,Phil Ramone ,Michael Sembello &Shandi Sinnamon (1984)Purple Rain Prince andthe Revolution (1985)Beverly Hills Cop Harold Faltermeyer ,Keith Forsey ,Micki Free , John Gilutin Hawk,Howard Hewett , Bunny Hull, Howie Rice,Sharon Robinson ,Danny Sembello , Sue Sheridan, Richard Theisen &Allee Willis (1986)Out of Africa John Barry (1987)The Untouchables Ennio Morricone (1988)The Last Emperor David Byrne ,Cong Su &Ryuichi Sakamoto (1989)1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
International National Artists People Other
