Paul Williams

Paul Williams is an Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe award-winning Hall of Fame songwriter and President and Chairman of the Board of The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “You and Me Against the World,” “An Old Fashioned Love Song,” “I Won’t Last a Day Without You,” and “Let Me Be The One” are among his timeless standards. His songs have been recorded by diverse musical icons such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Willie Nelson, Ella Fitzgerald, David Bowie, Ray Charles, R.E.M., Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughn, Johnny Mathis, Luther Vandross and Kermit the Frog.

Bugsy Malone and cult favorite Phantom of the Paradise are among his movie scores. “The Rainbow Connection,” from the children’s classic The Muppet Movie, and “Evergreen” from A Star is Born are two of his songs that grace the American Film Institute’s list of the top 100 movie songs of all time. Having completed the music and lyrics for the Garry Marshall musical Happy Days: A New Musical, he joined forces with the Henson Company, iTheatrics and the Goodspeed Theatre to produce a new Christmas musical based on the perennial favorite Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas. A Muppet Christmas: Letters To Santa, an original Christmas special with both story and songs by Mr. Williams, earned him another Emmy nomination for his song score.

An actor, performer and public speaker, Paul predicts he’ll be remembered for his performance in the Smokey and the Bandit trilogy and for the lyrics to The Love Boat theme. A devoted husband to writer Mariana Williams and proud father, Paul considers his son Cole and daughter Sarah to be his best work.