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Peter Wolf
Wolf at the 2008 Birmingham Area Music Awards
Wolf at the 2008 Birmingham Area Music Awards
Background information
Born (1952-08-25) August 25, 1952 (age 71)
Vienna, Austria
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • composer
  • record producer
Instrument(s)Keyboards
Years active1969–present

Peter F. Wolf (born August 25, 1952) is an Austrian composer, producer, songwriter and arranger. In 2002, he was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class (Österreichische Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst).[1] Wolf is married to fashion model and songwriter Lea Wolf-Millesi, and lives in Malibu, California.[2]

Career

Wolf studied classical piano at the Conservatory of Music in Vienna. At the age of 16, he won the European Jazz Festival as a solo pianist. Twice he won the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis, a German award, for his work with André Heller and Erika Pluhar.

Wolf moved to America in his early twenties. He worked with bassist Neal Starkey and guitarist Bill Hatcher in Atlanta, Georgia, and with drummer Steve Sample Jr. and keyboardist, guitarist, and vocalist Ray Reach in Birmingham, Alabama. After his time in the southeastern United States, Wolf moved to Los Angeles, where he played keyboards for Frank Zappa in the late 1970s. In 1987, he joined Terry Bozzio, Mark Isham, Peter Maunu, and Patrick O'Hearn in the band Group 87.

Wolf began producing in 1985, co-producing the Commodores' "Nightshift". He also produced the hit singles "We Built This City" and "Sara" for Starship, Wang Chung's "Everybody Have Fun Tonight", and El Debarge's "Who's Johnny", leading to more studio and production work.[3]

After losing his home and home studio in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Wolf relocated to Austria and founded a new studio, Little America.[3]

Wolf composed music for the films Neverending Story III, Weekend at Bernie's II, The Hollywood Sign, and Nutcracker and Mouse King, which won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film. His credits include Father's Day, Die Cellistin (The Cellist), Widows, St. Pauli Night [de], The Fearless Four and Band on the Run. In 2011, he composed music for the Christmas movie When Santa Fell to Earth [de].

In July 2015, Wolf and Lea Wolf-Millesi started Whamslam, an online entertainment platform for kids that combines creativity, music, and education.

Awards

In 2008, Wolf was honored with a BAMA Award (Birmingham Area Music Award) for his contributions to the Birmingham music scene.

Discography

with Gipsy Love

with Frank Zappa

with Red Rider

with Wolf & Wolf

with Grace Slick

with Vienna

with Chicago

Arrangement and accompaniment

References

  1. ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question" (PDF) (in German). p. 1509. Retrieved December 21, 2013.
  2. ^ Biography (in German) of Peter Wolf
  3. ^ a b c Pfanzagl, Edwin (March 2000). "Peter Wolf:Stalking the Apple" (PDF). Studio Sound. Retrieved 3 January 2022.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Peter Wolf (producer).
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