Will Jennings


Lyricist

Biography

Award-winning lyricist Will Jennings has collaborated with a distinguished array of composers. Among his many songs with Richard Kerr are the Barry Manilow hits "Looks Like We Made It" (1976) and "Somewhere in the Night" (1978), and his frequent pairing with Steve Winwood led to a 1986 Grammy nomination for their song "Higher Love." Jennings also wrote the words for Eric Clapton's "Tears...

Family & Companions

Carol Jennings
Wife

Biography

Award-winning lyricist Will Jennings has collaborated with a distinguished array of composers. Among his many songs with Richard Kerr are the Barry Manilow hits "Looks Like We Made It" (1976) and "Somewhere in the Night" (1978), and his frequent pairing with Steve Winwood led to a 1986 Grammy nomination for their song "Higher Love." Jennings also wrote the words for Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" and shared a Grammy for Song of the Year (1993) with the guitar legend. He earned his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for "People Alone" from "The Competition" (1980) and took home the statue for "Up Where We Belong" from "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982). Jennings first worked with James Horner on "The Land Before Time" (1988) and the duo provided the underrated songs for the animated sequel "An American Tail: Fievel Goes West" (1991). Their fourth collaboration, James Cameron's "Titanic" (1997), yielded the hit love theme "My Heart Will Go On," recorded by Celine Dion.

Filmography

 

Music (Feature Film)

My Spy (2020)
Song
Like a Boss (2020)
Song
The Addams Family (2019)
Song
Bumblebee (2018)
Song
Bridget Jones' Baby (2016)
Song
Captain Fantastic (2016)
Song
The Wedding Ringer (2015)
Song
You Are Here (2014)
Song
Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
Song
Hall Pass (2011)
Song
Jack and Jill (2011)
Song
Fighting (2009)
Song
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
Song
BrĂ¼no (2009)
Song
Freedom Writers (2007)
Song
Yours, Mine & Ours (2005)
Song
The Last Shot (2004)
Song
How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Song
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Composer
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Composer
Dinner With Friends (2001)
Song
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Song
Mighty Joe Young (1998)
Song
The Mask of Zorro (1998)
Song
Titanic (1997)
Song
Once Upon a Forest (1993)
Theme Lyrics
The Thing Called Love (1993)
Song
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991)
Song
Thelma & Louise (1991)
Song
Rush (1991)
Song
Listen To Me (1989)
Song
Black Rain (1989)
Song
The Land Before Time (1988)
Song
Stakeout (1987)
Song
Summer Heat (1987)
Lyrics ("The Heart Must Have A Home")
Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987)
Song
Harry And The Hendersons (1987)
Theme Lyrics
Short Circuit (1986)
Song
The Slugger's Wife (1985)
Song
Summer Rental (1985)
Song
Splash (1984)
Theme Lyrics
Swing Shift (1984)
Theme Lyrics
All the Right Moves (1983)
Music Lyrics
Some Kind Of Hero (1982)
Song
Split Image (1982)
Song
An Officer And A Gentleman (1982)
Song
Ils appellent ca un Accident (1981)
Lyrics ("Your Silence Is Your Song" "Night Train")
Sharky's Machine (1981)
Song
The Competition (1980)
Song ("People Alone")
The Seeding Of Sara Burns (1979)
Song
Hot Stuff (1979)
Song
Casey's Shadow (1978)
Theme Lyrics
The Commitment (1976)
Song

Cast (Special)

The Score (2002)

Music (Special)

Roger Williams: Pop Goes the Ivories (1999)
Song
The 70th Annual Academy Awards (1998)
Theme Lyrics
Monica Mancini... On Record (1998)
Lyrics ("Music On The Way")
Bonnie Raitt: Road Tested (1995)
Song

Life Events

1975

First feature film credit, the songs used in "The Commitment"

1976

His song, "Looks Like We Made It" (written with Richard Kerr) was a hit for Barry Manilow

1978

Had second hit recorded by Manilow, "Somewhere in the Night" (also written with Richard Kerr)

1980

Received first Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for "People Alone" from "The Competition"; co-written with Lalo Schifrin

1982

Won Oscar for Best Song, "Up Where We Belong" from "An Officer and a Gentleman"

1986

Shared Grammy Award nomination with Steve Winwood for their song "Higher Love"

1988

First feature collaboration with James Horner, "The Land Before Time"

1991

Reteamed with Horner on "An American Tail: Fievel Goes West"

1993

Shared Grammy Award for Song of the Year with Eric Clapton for "Tears in Heaven"

1997

Fourth film with Horner, James Cameron's "Titanic"; wrote lyrics to hit song "My Heart Will Go On" recorded by Celine Dion; received Oscar as Best Song

1999

Again collaborated with Horner on "Then You Look at Me", the theme for "Bicentennial Man", recorded by Celine Dion

2001

Reteamed with James Horner to write "All Love Can Be" for "A Beautiful Mind"

Companions

Carol Jennings
Wife

Bibliography