Philip Balsam (December 23, 1943 – March 31, 2023) was a Canadian songwriter, composer, and author. Many of his musical works were created for television or theatre, in collaboration with a lyricist. He is best known for his work on the show Fraggle Rock.

Career

With fellow Canadian Dennis Lee, Balsam wrote about 190 songs for the television series Fraggle Rock;[1] a few more songs were written with author Tim Wynne-Jones.[2] The songs were sung by puppets on the show;[3] some of them were released as an album, Fraggle Rock: Music and Magic, in 1993.[4]

A second album, Jim Henson's Muppets present Fraggle Rock, released in 1984, was produced by Balsam and Don Gillis.[5] The album was nominated for a Grammy Award,[6] which it won jointly with Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends.[7] The show's theme song, written by Balsam and Lee, appeared on the Top 40 chart in the United Kingdom.[8]

Fraggle Rock was aired around the world, and in 1989 was the first North American television show to be broadcast in the Soviet Union.[9] Balsam performed the voice of the character Phil Fraggle on the show.

Balsam and Lee also wrote the songs for the Jim Henson television special "The Tale of the Bunny Picnic" and film Dog City. They wrote songs for the musical theatre version of Mordecai Richler's Jacob Two-Two and the Hooded Fang.[10] and Jacob Two-Two and the Dinosaur.

Death

Balsam died on March 31, 2023, at the age of 79 from complications of Giant Cell Arteritis.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Brian Jay Jones (5 May 2015). Jim Henson: The Biography. Random House Publishing Group. p. 393. ISBN 978-0-345-52612-0.
  2. ↑ "Famous author at Dugald School". Steinbach Carillon, 17 November 1997 - Page 33
  3. ↑ "How Fraggle Rock taught kids about society and community in 10 episodes". AV Club - TV, Myles McNutt, 12/05/2012
  4. ↑ "Original Soundtrack Fraggle Rock: Music & Magic ". AllMusic Review by Peter Fawthrop
  5. ↑ Nancy Oster Steffel; Susan Griffis Swenson (1989). Inspiring Young Authors Year-Round: A Handbook for Teachers and Parents. Treetop Pub. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-9623378-0-2.
  6. ↑ "27th Grammy Awards Final Nominations". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 26 January 1985. p. 151. ISSN 0006-2510.
  7. ↑ "Turner, Ritchie Top Grammy Winners". San Bernardino Sun, 27 February 1985
  8. ↑ "30 Years: Still Rockin' It". Animation Magazine, January 2013. page 39
  9. ↑ "THE MUSIC OF “FRAGGLE ROCK”". The Canadian Music Hall of Fame, by Adam Bunch.
  10. ↑ "Theatre Review: Jacob Two-Two Meets The Hooded Fang – Boardmore Playhouse, May 11". What's Goin' On, review by Ken Chisholm
  11. ↑ "Philip Balsam". Steeles Memorial Chapel. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
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