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| Angelo Badalamenti found worldwide fame with the Twin Peaks theme |
The composer who created the theme for Twin Peaks and much, much more, Angelo Badalamenti, has died at the age of 85, it was announced today. He held several of the top awards in his profession and was admired by musicians around the world.
Born in New York, Badalamenti began playing piano at the age of eight and never looked back. He rose to fame due to his creative partnership with David Lunch, composing the soundtracks for Blue Velvet, Wild At Heart, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Lost Highway, The Straight Story and Mulholland Drive. He had small acting roles in Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive and collaborated with the singer Julee Cruise, who died earlier this year, on further music connected to Twin Peaks. He would reportedly visit the set of the series during filming, playing the piano to get the actors into the right mood.
In addition to his work with Lynch, Badalamenti worked on the soundtracks for numerous feature films, including Secretary, 44 Inch Chest and A Late Quartet. He was known for his enthusiasm for developing ideas in partnership, for his agreeable nature and the speed with which he was able to grasp and develop ideas, always knowing when he had hit upon the right response to a musical challenge.
Beyond the world of film, Badalamenti engaged in musical collaborations with David Bowie, Marianne Faithfull, Orbital and the Pet Shop Boys, as well as writing songs for Nina Simone and Shirley Bassey. He also composed the theme for the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona.
No cause of death has yet been announced, but the composer reportedly died at home. His is survived by his wife of 54 years, Lonny, and their daughter, Danielle. The couple's son Andre, who was also a musician, died in 2012.
