Stephen J. Lawrence (September 5, 1939 – December 30, 2021) was an American composer, who lived and worked in New York City. He was also known as Stephen Lawrence, but used his middle initial to differentiate him from the singer Steve Lawrence.
Early life and career
Lawrence was born on September 5, 1939. He gained his B.A. in music from Hofstra University and during his lifetime composed more than 300 songs and scores for Sesame Street, resulting in three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition.
Lawrence married Christine Jones in 1984, and their daughter Hannah was born two years later. After divorcing, he then married Cathy Schwartzman in 2002. He was the Music Director of Temple Sinai, Stamford, Connecticut, from that year until 2012.[1] Lawrence died in Belleville, New Jersey, on December 30, 2021, at the age of 82.[2][3]
Awards and nominations
Three Emmy Awards: Outstanding Music Direction and Composition, Sesame Street 1989-1990, 2001-2002, and 2002-2003.
Gold Album for Free to Be... You and Me - Composed the title song and four others for Marlo Thomas's Free to Be... You and Me, the landmark million-selling record, book and Emmy Award - and Peabody Award-winning ABC television special (1972). Musical Director.
Gold Record for Sooner Or Later, the soundtrack of the 1979 NBC TV movie[4] which included "You Take My Breath Away", signifying sales of 500,000 copies.
Music Award from the Paris International Film Festival of Fantasy and Science Fiction for Alice, Sweet Alice (also known as 'Communion').
TV credits
Sesame Street Television series. Composed over 300 songs and scores. Won three Emmys for “Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition. Arranger and Conductor. 1984-2012.
Free to Be... You and Me. ABC television special based on the record and book, 1974. Composed title song and four others; Musical Director and Arranger.
Sooner or Later. NBC television movie, 1979. Composed original songs and score.
Blue Roses (based on The Glass Menagerie). 2014. Orchestration consultant.
References
^"Stephen Lawrence Music". June 2015.
^Murphy, J. Kim (January 2, 2022). "Stephen J. Lawrence, 'Sesame Street' Composer and 'Free to Be… You and Me' Musical Director, Dies at 82". Variety. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
^Perez, Lexy (2022-01-02). "Stephen J. Lawrence, 'Sesame Street' Composer, Dies at 82". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2022-01-02. Retrieved 2022-01-04.