Richard M. Sherman Biography

Fast Facts

• Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame located at the Marriott Hotel on Times Square in New York City in 2005
• In 2008, George W․ Bush awarded him and his brother with the American National Medal of the Arts for their contributions to music
• Became interested in music in high school, during which time he studied the flute, the piccolo and the piano
• Quote: "We write for grandpa and the 4-year-old -- and everyone in between․"
• Known as a member of "The Sherman Brothers," a prolific songwriting team that he formed with his brother after their father challenged them to write songs together
• Composed many songs that appeared in Disney films
• Along with his brother, wrote the Disney theme park song, "It's a Small World," which plays in musical boat rides promoting global peace at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts around the world
• At his high school graduation, he played a musical duet with classmate and future composer André Previn, and 21 years later, both won Oscars for different films in musical categories
• Though his brother eventually loved to London, they continued to collaborate via fax, e-mail and telephone until Robert's 2012 death
• Was drafted into the United States Army in 1953, where he served as a musical conductor for the band and the glee club before being honorably discharged in 1955