The force is strong with John Williams.
The composer, a Floral Park native, won his 24th Grammy Award during Sunday’s 60th annual Grammy Awards for best arrangement, instrumental or a cappella for his “Escapades For Alto Saxophone And Orchestra From Catch Me If You Can.”
Williams, born in 1932 in Floral Park, got his first Grammy in 1975, for his score in “Jaws.”
The first of his 67 nominations came in 1961, for his work on the CBS television series “Checkmate.”
In addition to creating the scores in all of the “Star Wars” movies, his six-decade career led to the scores in “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” the “Indiana Jones” movies, the first two “Jurassic Park” movies, the first three “Harry Potter” movies – just to name a few.
“Any working composer or painter or sculptor will tell you that inspiration comes at the eighth hour of labor rather than as a bolt out of the blue,” Williams has said.
Williams also served in the U.S. Air Force, where on top of his typical assignments, Williams conducted and arranged music for the U.S. Air Force band.
On top of his Grammys, Williams has earned five Academy Awards.
He has been nominated for 51, and is currently the living person with the most Academy Award nominations. He is second to Walt Disney, who died having been nominated 59 times.
Williams has also won three of his six Emmy Award nominations and four of his 25 Golden Globe Award nominations.
