Born in Los Angeles, CA; educated at U.C.L.A. The nephew of composers Lionel and Alfred Newman, this thoughtful, wry songwriter established himself as a thinking-person's writer and performer in the 1970s before becoming known as a film composer in the 1980s. He crested Billboard charts with his anti-prejudice song "Short People." Un-nominated film scoring credits include COLD TURKEY (1971), HERBSTKATZEN (1981), GOTCHA! (1985), AWAKENINGS (1990), MAVERICK (1994), MICHAEL (1996), IT'S TOUGH TO BE A BUG (1998), SEABISCUIT (2003), MEET THE FOCKERS (2004), LEATHERHEADS (2008), and THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (scheduled for 2009). He collaborated on the script for ¡THREE AMIGOS! (1986). To date (2007), his songs and music have been used in almost 75 films and TV shows. In 2002, after 15 unsuccessful music scoring and songwritiing nominations (including his unsuccessful 2001 nomination for the score of MONSTERS, INC.), he was awarded his first Oscar® for his song "If I Didn't Have You" from MONSTERS, INC. (2001).  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1981: RAGTIME  Nominated for Music Best Song 1981: RAGTIME "One More Hour" - Music & Lyric  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1984: THE NATURAL  Nominated for Music Best Song 1989: PARENTHOOD "I Love to See You Smile" - Music & Lyric  Nominated for Achievement in Music (Original Score) 1990: AVALON  Nominated for Music Best Song 1994: THE PAPER "Make Up Your Mind" - Music & Lyric  Nominated for Achievement in Music (Original Musical or Comedy Score) 1995: TOY STORY  Nominated for Music Best Song 1995: TOY STORY "You've Got a Friend" - Music & Lyric  Nominated for Achievement in Music (Original Musical or Comedy Score) 1996: JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH  Nominated for Achievement in Music (Original Musical or Comedy Score) 1998: A BUG'S LIFE  Nominated for Achievement in Music (Original Dramatic Score) 1998: PLEASANTVILLE  Nominated for Achievement in Music (Original Song) 1998: BABE: PIG IN THE CITY "That'll Do" - Music & Lyric  Nominated for Achievement in Music (Original Song) 1999: TOY STORY 2 "When She Loved Me" - Music & Lyric  Nominated for Achievement in Music (Original Song) 2000: MEET THE PARENTS "A Fool in Love" - Music & Lyric  Nominated for Achievement in Music in connection with motion pictures (Original Score) 2001: MONSTERS, INC.  Best Achievement in Music in connection with motion pictures (Original Song) 2001: MONSTERS, INC. "If I Didn't Have You" - Music & Lyric  Nominated for Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song) 2006: CARS "Our Town" - Music & Lyric 17 nominations, 1 Award