Randy Newman.

A week after his birth in Los Angeles on November 28, 1943, his family moved to New Orleans, his mother’s hometown. His father Irving was a doctor, and mother Adele came from a musical family; his uncles Alfred, Emil, and Lionel Newman were already celebrated Hollywood composers. At 11, the family returned to Los Angeles, where he attended University High School. He later enrolled at UCLA but dropped out to pursue music.

Invited to a country club cotillion by a girl, he was later told by her father that Jews were not allowed. Newman had to ask his father what a Jew was, an experience that later influenced his socially conscious songwriting.

Newman began his career writing pop songs. In 1977, his satirical single Short People became his first major hit, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100. He released I Love L.A. next, which became a local anthem and is played at Dodger Stadium after home victories.

In 1995, Newman composed the music for Pixar’s Toy Story, writing the instantly recognizable You’ve Got a Friend in Me. This began a long collaboration with Pixar, resulting in scores for A Bug’s Life 1998, Monsters Inc 2001, and the Cars franchise. He also scored non-Pixar films like Meet the Parents and the Disney animated feature The Princess and the Frog.

Newman​’s 16 Academy Award nominations without a win made him the record-holder at the time. He won his first Oscar in 2002 for If I Didn’t Have You from Monsters Inc, and a second in 2011 for We Belong Together from Toy Story 3. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him in 2013.

Newman married Roswitha Schmale, with whom he had five children: Patrick, Amos, Alice, Eric, and John. He later married Gretchen Preece.

He had Epstein-Barr Syndrome from 1987 to 1989. He endorsed Barack Obama for reelection in 2012 and wrote a satirical song about voting for white candidates.

He comes from a musical dynasty: his uncles Alfred, Emil, and Lionel Newman were composers, and his cousins include Thomas, David, Maria, and Joey Newman.

His songs have been covered by Joe Cocker Guilty, Tom Jones You Can Leave Your Hat On, and Three Dog Night Mama Told Me Not to Come. The Los Angeles Dodgers play his I Love L.A. after every home win.

Newman received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, the American Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2011. He won his first Oscar after a record 16 nominations without a win, and later a second. He is remembered for his satirical wit and his scores for Pixar films.