The Enduring Melody of Richard M. Sherman
The world of Disney — and music lovers everywhere — felt a profound silence when Richard M. Sherman, one-half of the legendary Sherman Brothers songwriting duo, passed away at 95. For decades, his melodies carried the sound of wonder, optimism, and imagination — the very essence of what made Disney magic timeless.
Sherman passed away on Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Gluck, and their children, Gregory, Victoria, and Lynda.
A Life in Song
Together with his brother Robert B. Sherman, Richard transformed the landscape of film music.
Their partnership produced a canon of songs that shaped childhoods and transcended generations — from Mary Poppins’ “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Feed the Birds” to The Jungle Book’s jazzy “I Wanna Be Like You,” and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s soaring theme.
Their work earned two Academy Awards, three Grammy Awards, and countless other honors. Yet, as Sherman himself often said, “Awards fade — the songs are what last.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger reflected on Sherman’s impact, calling him “the embodiment of what it means to be a Disney Legend.” Pixar’s Pete Docter remembered Sherman for his “infectious joy for life,” while film historian Leonard Maltin observed that “his music carried an optimism that reflected who he was as a person.”
The Spirit Behind the Songs
While his lyrics and melodies seemed effortlessly joyful, Sherman’s genius lay in his ability to weave hope into simplicity. He believed every note should lift the spirit — a belief that gave Disney’s golden era its heartbeat.
In a career that spanned over six decades, Sherman’s compositions became shorthand for happiness and resilience. His songs were not merely background music; they were emotional anchors for generations — teaching audiences that joy, kindness, and curiosity could coexist even in the most uncertain of times.
In 1990, Sherman was named a Disney Legend, and in 2005, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, cementing his place among the greats of American music.
A Lasting Legacy
Sherman’s funeral will take place on May 31 at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California, where family, friends, and admirers will gather to honor a man whose melodies defined an era.
His legacy, however, doesn’t rest in a museum or an award cabinet — it lives wherever a child hums a Disney tune, wherever a lyric sparks a smile, and wherever hope finds a voice through song.
Richard M. Sherman may have left the stage, but his music continues to play — in living rooms, theme parks, classrooms, and hearts around the world. Because as long as people believe in magic, his melodies will never truly end.
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