Joel McNeely

Joel McNeely (born March 28, 1959) is an American composer, arranger, musician, lyricist, and record producer. A protégé of composer Jerry Goldsmith, he is best known for his film and television scores. He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series for his work on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. He frequently collaborates with Seth MacFarlane and contributes to various projects by The Walt Disney Company.

Joel McNeely
Born (1959-03-28) March 28, 1959
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
GenresFilm score, pop, jazz
Occupation(s)Composer, arranger, pianist, musician, songwriter, producer
InstrumentsPiano, organ, keyboard, backing vocals
Years active1986–present
LabelsUniversal Republic, Republic
Associated actsSeth MacFarlane
Websitewww.joelmcneely.com

Biography

Joel McNeely was born in Madison, Wisconsin. Both of his parents were involved in music and theater, and as a child he played the piano, saxophone, bass, and flute. He attended the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, studied jazz at the University of Miami, and earned a master's degree as a composition major at the Eastman School of Music.

LucasArts chose McNeely to compose the soundtrack to the 1996 Star Wars game, Shadows of the Empire, while incorporating the themes from the films by John Williams. This was an experimental project where he conveyed general moods and themes instead of writing music to flow for specific scenes.

He is also known for conducting a series of re-recordings of film scores by Bernard Herrmann, Franz Waxman, John Barry, and other composers under the label of Varèse Sarabande, including those Herrmann wrote for Vertigo, Psycho and Citizen Kane. He also composed the score for The Avengers and the theme and music for FOX's Dark Angel. Additionally, he scored the movies Terminal Velocity, Iron Will (which was used in the teaser trailer to Toy Story, the theatrical trailer to Balto, the direct-to-video trailer to Balto III: Wings of Change, and the VHS trailer to Mulan), Flipper, Gold Diggers, Samantha, Virus, and I Know Who Killed Me. He also scored a multitude of Disney animated films (Mulan II, Return to Never Land, Tinker Bell and many others).

Currently McNeely scores occasional episodes of the FOX animated TV series American Dad!, since the fourth season replacing Ron Jones who left to focus more on composing for Family Guy, including the episode with the Back to the Future parody, and the season five premiere (among others).

McNeely has produced three of Seth MacFarlane's studio albums, including 2011's Music Is Better Than Words, 2014's Holiday for Swing,[1] and 2017's In Full Swing.

In 2017, he composed a score for MacFarlane's new series, The Orville, along with Bruce Broughton and John Debney.

Filmography

1980s

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
1987You Talkin' to Me?Charles WinklerUnited ArtistsN/A
1988Splash, TooGreg AntonacciWalt Disney Television
ABC
TV movie
1989Parent Trap IIIMollie MillerWalt Disney Television
Disney Channel
Television film
PollyDebbie AllenWalt Disney Television
NBC
TV movie
Parent Trap: Hawaiian HoneymoonMollie MillerWalt Disney Television
NBC
Television film

1990s

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
1990Hitler's DaughterJames A. ContnerWilshire Court Productions
USA Network
TV movie
Polly: Comin' Home!Debbie AllenWalt Disney Television
NBC
TV movie
1991Frankenstein: The College YearsTom ShadyacFOXTV movie
SamanthaStephen La RocqueAcademy EntertainmentN/A
1992Lady Against the OddsBradford MayMGM Television
NBC
TV movie
Police Story 3: Super CopStanley TongDimension FilmsUS version
1994Iron WillCharles HaidWalt Disney PicturesN/A
Radioland MurdersMel SmithLucasfilm
Universal Pictures
N/A
Squanto: A Warrior's TaleXavier Koller
Christopher Stoia
Walt Disney PicturesN/A
Terminal VelocityDeran SarafianNomura Babcock & Brown
Interscope Communications
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Hollywood Pictures
N/A
1995Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear MountainKevin James DobsonBregman/Baer Productions
Universal Pictures
N/A
1996FlipperAlan ShapiroThe Bubble Factory
Universal Pictures
N/A
1997Vegas VacationStephen KesslerJerry Weintraub Productions
Warner Bros. Pictures
N/A
Wild AmericaWilliam DearMorgan Creek Productions
Warner Bros. Pictures
N/A
Buffalo SoldiersCharles HaidTurner Pictures
TNT
TV movie
1998The AvengersJeremiah S. ChechikWarner Bros. PicturesReplaced Michael Kamen.
Zack and RebaNicole BettauerLive EntertainmentN/A
SoldierPaul W. S. AndersonMorgan Creek Productions
Jerry Weintraub Productions
Warner Bros. Pictures
N/A
1999VirusJohn BrunoMutual Film Company
Valhalla Motion Pictures
Dark Horse Entertainment
Universal Pictures
N/A
Road RageDeran SarafianNBC Studios
NBC
TV movie

2000s

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
2000Sally Hemings: An American ScandalCharles HaidCBS Productions
CBS
TV movie
Santa Who?William DearABCTV movie
2001Lover's PrayerReverge AnselmoImage EntertainmentN/A
2002Return to Never LandRobin Budd
Donovan Cook
DisneyToon Studios
A. Film A/S
Walt Disney Pictures
N/A
2003The Jungle Book 2Steve TrenbirthDisneyToon Studios
Walt Disney Pictures
N/A
Ghosts of the AbyssJames CameronAscot Elite
Golden Village
Walden Media
Walt Disney Pictures (North America)
UGC Fox Distribution (International)
N/A
HolesAndrew DavisPhoenix Pictures
Walden Media
Walt Disney Pictures
N/A
DestinoDominique MonféryWalt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Pictures
Short film
Uptown GirlsBoaz YakinMetro-Goldwyn-MayerN/A
2004StatesideReverge AnselmoSamuel Goldwyn FilmsN/A
America's Heart and SoulLouis SchwartzbergWalt Disney PicturesN/A
Mulan IIDarrell Rooney
Lynne Southerland
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Direct-to-video film
2005Pooh's Heffalump MovieFrank NissenWalt Disney Pictures
DisneyToon Studios
N/A
Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a GlitchMichael LaBash
Tony Leondis
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Direct-to-video film
2006Franklin and the Turtle Lake TreasureDominique MonféryNelvana
StudioCanal
N/A
The Fox and the Hound 2Jim KammerudWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Direct-to-video film
2007Cinderella III: A Twist in TimeFrank NissenWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Direct-to-video film
I Know Who Killed MeChris Sivertson360 Pictures
TriStar Pictures
N/A
2008Tinker BellBradley RaymondWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Direct-to-video film
2009Tinker Bell and the Lost TreasureKlay HallWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Direct-to-video film

2010s

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
2010Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy RescueBradley RaymondWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Direct-to-video film
2011Pixie Hollow GamesBradley RaymondWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Television special
2012Secret of the WingsBobs Gannaway
Peggy Holmes
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Direct-to-video film
2014The Pirate FairyPeggy HolmesWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Direct-to-video film
A Million Ways to Die in the WestSeth MacFarlaneFuzzy Door Productions
Media Rights Capital
Universal Pictures
N/A
Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast[2]Steve LoterWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DisneyToon Studios
Direct-to-video film

Television

Years Title Notes
1986-1988Our House
1988Blue SkiesEpisode: "Something Wold, Something New"
1989The Wonder YearsEpisode: "Square Dance"
1990Tiny Toon Adventures3 episodes
1991Darkwing DuckEpisode: "Beauty and the Beet"
1992The Plucky Duck Show2 episodes
1992-1993The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
1998Buddy Faro
2000-2002Dark Angel
2001All Souls
2002The Court
2009–presentAmerican Dad!
2017–presentThe Orvillewith John Debney, Bruce Broughton (Pilot and theme only) and Andrew Cottee

Awards and nominations

Year Award Nominated work Result
1993 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Won
1993 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Direction The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Nominated
1998 ASCAP Award for Top Box Office Films Air Force One Won
2003 Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production Return to Never Land Nominated
2012 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album[3] Music Is Better Than Words Nominated
2012 Annie Award for Best Music in a Television Production Pixie Hollow Games Nominated
2012 International Film Music Critics Award for Best Original Score for an Animated Film Secret of the Wings Won
2012 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction Seth MacFarlane: Swingin' in Concert Nominated
2013 Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production Secret of the Wings Nominated
2015 International Film Music Critics Award for Best Original Score for a Comedy Film A Million Ways to Die in the West Nominated

References

  1. Trakin, Roy (May 15, 2014). "Seth MacFarlane Set to Release Christmas Album". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  2. "Joel McNeely to Score Disney's 'Legend of the NeverBeast'". Film Music Reporter. June 14, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  3. Montgomery, James. "Grammy Nominations: The Biggest Shocks And Snubs". MTV. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
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