Perry Botkin Jr.

American composer, producer, arranger, and musician (1933–2021)

Perry Botkin Jr.

Born	April 16, 1933
Died	January 18, 2021 (aged 87)
Occupation	Songwriter

Perry Botkin Jr. (April 16, 1933 – January 18, 2021)^[1] was an American composer, producer, arranger, and musician.^[2] The tune "Nadia's Theme", composed by Botkin and Barry De Vorzon, peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976 and became the theme song for the long-running television soap opera The Young and the Restless. He was also a major contributor to Incredible Bongo Band, one of the most influential groups of all-time for its Bongo Rock album which is one of the most sampled from records, making it a major influence in the origins of Hip hop.^[3]

Life and career

He was born in 1933 in New York as son of Perry Botkin Sr., who also was a successful musician and composer.

Botkin had a successful career in music for more than forty years. As an arranger, he worked with Bobby Darin, Harry Nilsson, Gary Crosby, The Lettermen, Ed Ames, Shelby Flint and Harpers Bizarre, among others. The film scores that he composed are similar to the music of his partner and counterpart, Barry De Vorzon.

In 1990, Botkin retired from the commercial music industry, and began self-producing CDs of electronic music. James Harbert, in the liner notes for the first of these recordings, says, "With these new musical works, Perry Botkin has achieved his musical goal. He has succeeded in being himself."

Death

Botkin died on January 18, 2021, at age 87, at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California.^[4]

Awards

1971 - Academy Award nomination - Best Song, "Bless the Beasts and Children", with Barry DeVorzon
1977 - Grammy Award winner - Best Instrumental Arrangement - "Nadia's Theme (The Young and the Restless)", with Barry DeVorzon and Harry Betts

Works (partial)

Recordings

1969 - "Love Is Blue" with Johnny Gibbs, Frank De Vol, Norman Percival, Hank Levine, Les Reed, Billy May, Bill Walker, Nelson Riddle, Pete King, Frank Comstock. (Reader's Digest, RDA 77-A)
1976 - "Nadia's Theme" with Barry DeVorzon. (A&M Records, AM 1856)

Recordings (arranger)

Hollyridge Strings - "The Beatles Songbook Vol.4" album (co-arranger/conductor (with Mort Garson)
Incredible Bongo Band - "Bongo Rock" album
Incredible Bongo Band - "The Return of the Incredible Bongo Band" album
Bobby Darin - In a Broadway Bag album
The Cascades - "Rhythm of the Rain"
Robin Ward - "Wonderful Summer"
Shelby Flint - "Angel on My Shoulder"
The T-Bones - "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)"
José Feliciano - "Feliz Navidad"
Harry Nilsson - Pandemonium Shadow Show album
Carly Simon - Playing Possum album
Barbra Streisand - Stoney End album
Maureen McGovern - Academy Award Performance album
The Checkmates - Love Is All We Have to Give album, including "Black Pearl"

Films

R. P. M. (1970) (with Barry DeVorzon)
Bless the Beasts and Children (1971) (with Barry DeVorzon)
Skyjacked (1972)
They Only Kill Their Masters (1972)
Lady Ice (1973)
Your Three Minutes Are Up (1973)
Goin' South (1978) (with Van Dyke Parks)
Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981)
Dance of the Dwarfs (1983)
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
Weekend Warriors (1986)

Television

ABC Movie of the Week (theme)
The Young And The Restless (theme)
Mork & Mindy (series)
Happy Days (series)
Laverne & Shirley (series)
The Smothers Brothers Show (sitcom)
The Beverly Hillbillies (sitcom)
Quark (series)
3rd Degree (game show)

References

^ Oganesyan, Natalie (January 23, 2021). "Perry Botkin Jr., Grammy-Winning TV and Film Composer, Dies at 87". Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
^ "Incredible Bongo Band (review)". CMJ New Music Monthly. October 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
^ "Sample This (film)". 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
^ Beresford, Trilby (January 23, 2021). "Perry Botkin Jr., Grammy-Winning Arranger of "Nadia's Theme," Dies at 87". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 22, 2021.