Patrick Williams, 79, on July 25, of cancer in Santa Monica, California. He was a major composer for TV series in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. He created the music for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, several other series, and 100s of individual episodes. He won four Emmys and was nominated for 22. He scored over 200 films and received an Oscar nomination for “Breaking Away” (1979). He was nominated for 19 Grammys for arrangements for film, as well as for his work as a bandleader, winning two.
He arranged and conducted for Frank Sinatra on the 1990’s Duet albums. He also arranged for singers from Bette Midler to Neil Diamond. He wrote many concert works, a ballet, and jazz concertos for prominent musicians in the jazz world. His An American Concerto (1976) is considered one of the best-achieved attempts at combining elements of Jazz and Classical music.
As a Bandleader, he recorded the now classic album “Threshold” in 1974. He recorded with Tom Scott and Bill Watrous on his own Soundwings Label in the 1980’s. He released his final Big Band Album,“Home Suite Home,” in 2015.
