Draft:Randy Petersen
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Randy Petersen (born 1955 in Merced, California) is an American songwriter, composer, arranger, producer, and vocalist. A member of BMI and SAG, he is best known for his extensive work with Disney across more than 30 film and television productions spanning animation, live-action, and direct-to-video releases. His work has earned him a Daytime Emmy Award nomination and an Annie Award nomination. He is also the founder of Orange Tree Productions, a record label based in Newbury Park, California, known for National Park-inspired relaxation music. He has frequently collaborated with songwriter Kevin Quinn.
Early Life and Career
[edit]Randy Petersen began playing bass guitar in high school and spent several years touring with various cover bands. In 1980, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he was hired as musical director for pop star Sheena Easton. He went on to serve as music director for Paula Abdul, Toni Childs, and the duo Calloway.
By 1990, Petersen had transitioned into songwriting and composing for film and television, and his work began appearing across TV series, animated productions, and motion pictures for Disney and other studios.
Film and Television Work
[edit]Disney Productions
[edit]Theme Songs and Featured Music
[edit]Petersen has composed, arranged, and produced music for a wide range of Disney productions:[1]
- Aladdin and the King of Thieves (Direct to Video) – composed featured songs
- Aladdin: The Return of Jafar (Direct to Video) – composed featured songs
- Bonkers (Series) – composed theme song and featured songs; also featured vocalist
- Brandy & Mr. Whiskers (Series) – composed theme song; received 2005 Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Original Song (with Kevin Quinn)[2]
- The Disney Afternoon – composed, arranged and produced theme; also featured vocalist
- The Goofy Movie (Film) – composed featured songs; also featured vocalist
- Goof Troop (Series) – composed theme song and featured songs
- Hercules (Series) – composed all featured songs; arranged and produced theme
- Here's to You, Mickey Mouse – composed featured song
- Jungle Cubs (Series) – composed, arranged and produced theme and featured songs
- Kim Possible (Series) – composed featured songs
- The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (Direct to Video) – composed featured songs[3]
- The Little Mermaid (Series) – composed featured songs
- Mickey's House of Mouse – composed featured songs
- Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series – arranged and produced theme
- 101 Dalmatians: The Series – composed, arranged and produced theme and featured songs; also featured vocalist
- Pepper Ann (Series) – composed featured songs
- The Proud Family Movie (Film) – composed and produced featured song
- Recess (Series) – composed, arranged and produced theme
- Sing Me a Story (Series) – composed featured songs
- Teacher's Pet (Series) – composed featured songs
- Teacher's Pet: The Movie (Film) – composed featured songs
- Timon & Pumbaa (Series) – produced theme and featured songs
- Timon & Pumbaa in Stand by Me (Film) – produced and arranged featured music
- Bizaardvark (Series) – songwriter[4]
High School Musical Franchise
[edit]Petersen contributed songs to all three installments of Disney's High School Musical franchise, one of the most commercially successful musical properties in Disney Channel history:
- High School Musical (2006) – composed and arranged "Bop to the Top"[5]
- High School Musical 2 (2007) – composed and arranged "Work This Out"[6]
- High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) – composed featured songs[7]
The franchise produced chart-topping soundtracks and launched the careers of several major artists, including Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ashley Tisdale.
Other Productions
[edit]Petersen has also composed and arranged music for productions outside Disney, including:
- All Dogs Go to Heaven (Series) – composed and arranged featured song
- Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (Series) – composed, arranged and produced theme song
- Corduroy Bear (Series) – composed, arranged and produced theme and featured songs
- Gravedale High (Series) – composed, arranged and produced theme song
- Inspector Gadget – music for television
- Two Stupid Dogs (Series) – composed and arranged featured songs
- Pup Star (2016) – songwriter[8]
- Pup Star: Better 2Gether (2017) – songwriter; also voiced the character "Shampoo"[9]
- Pup Star: World Tour (2018) – songwriter
Other Television
[edit]Petersen has composed, arranged, and produced music for numerous non-animated television productions:
- Sister, Sister (Series) – composed, arranged and produced theme song[10]
- Fired Up (Series) – composed, arranged and produced theme and featured music; also featured vocalist
- Nearly Departed (Series) – composed, arranged and produced theme and featured music
- California Dreams (Series) – composed and arranged featured song
- Designing Women (Series Pilot) – composed and arranged theme song
- Caryl & Marilyn: Real Friends (Series) – composed, arranged and produced theme and featured songs
- Oprah Winfrey "Chicago Grapevine" (Series Pilot) – composed and arranged theme song
Orange Tree Productions
[edit]Petersen is the founder of Orange Tree Productions, a record label based in Newbury Park, California. The label specializes in National Park-inspired relaxation music, releasing CDs, MP3 downloads, DVDs, and calendars featuring imagery from America's national parks. A portion of each sale is donated to the preservation of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries; to date, Orange Tree Productions has donated over $600,000 to these causes.[11]
Awards and Nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Project | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Annie Award | Best Music in an Animated Television Program | "Dalmatian Vacation, Part 2" – 101 Dalmatians: The Series | Nominated[12] |
| 2001 | Video Business Video Premiere Award | Best Original Song | "Upendi" – The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (with Kevin Quinn) | Nominated[13] |
| 2003 | Video Business Video Premiere Award | Best Original Song | The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (with Kevin Quinn) | Nominated[14] |
| 2005 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Original Song | Brandy & Mr. Whiskers Main Title Song (with Kevin Quinn) | Nominated |
Selected Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Type | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–1994 | The Little Mermaid | TV Series | Composer |
| 1994 | The Return of Jafar | Direct to Video | Composer |
| 1994 | Sister, Sister | TV Series | Composer/Arranger/Producer (theme) |
| 1994 | Goof Troop | TV Series | Composer (theme & featured songs) |
| 1995 | The Goofy Movie | Film | Composer, Vocalist |
| 1998 | The Lion King II: Simba's Pride | Direct to Video | Composer |
| 1998 | Aladdin and the King of Thieves | Direct to Video | Composer |
| 2002 | Kim Possible | TV Series | Composer |
| 2004 | Brandy & Mr. Whiskers | TV Series | Composer (theme, Emmy nominated) |
| 2004 | Teacher's Pet: The Movie | Film | Composer |
| 2005 | The Proud Family Movie | Film | Composer/Producer |
| 2006 | High School Musical | TV Film | Composer/Arranger |
| 2007 | High School Musical 2 | TV Film | Composer/Arranger |
| 2008 | High School Musical 3: Senior Year | Film | Composer |
| 2016 | Bizaardvark | TV Series | Songwriter |
| 2016 | Pup Star | Film | Songwriter |
| 2017 | Pup Star: Better 2Gether | Film | Songwriter, Voice Actor |
| 2018 | Pup Star: World Tour | Film | Songwriter |
References
[edit]- ^ "Randy Petersen". IMDb.
- ^ "2005 Daytime Emmy Award – Outstanding Original Song". IMDb.
- ^ "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride". IMDb.
- ^ "Bizaardvark". IMDb.
- ^ "High School Musical (2006)". IMDb.
- ^ "High School Musical 2 (2007)". IMDb.
- ^ "High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)". IMDb.
- ^ "Pup Star (2016)". IMDb.
- ^ "Pup Star: Better 2Gether (2017)". IMDb.
- ^ "Sister, Sister". IMDb.
- ^ "Orange Tree Productions".
- ^ "53rd Annual Annie Awards – Best Music in an Animated Television Program". 1998.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ "Two Discs Slip Atop Noms". Variety. 2002.
- ^ "2003 Video Business Video Premiere Award – Best Original Song". IMDb.
Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:American songwriters Category:American music producers Category:American male singers Category:People from Merced, California Category:People from Newbury Park, California
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