Photo: https://www.flickr.com/people/andyi/ / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Dave Grusin is one of those musicians who quietly shaped the sound of an entire era without ever hogging the spotlight, which honestly makes me appreciate him even more. Born in Littleton, Colorado in 1934, this man somehow mastered jazz piano, film scoring, arranging, conducting, and record producing all at once — and pulled it off with ridiculous elegance. His scores for films like Tootsie, The Fabulous Baker Boys, and The Milagro Beanfield War (which earned him that well-deserved Academy Award) have this warmth and intelligence that never feel like background noise — they feel like a conversation. Ten Grammys. An honorary doctorate from Berklee. The guy built GRP Records into a powerhouse. I genuinely think he's underrated in the popular imagination, but among musicians he's exactly the right kind of legend — deeply respected, endlessly influential, and just plain cool.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Dave Grusin
- Name (Japanese)
- デイヴ・グルーシン
- Reading
- でいゔ・ぐるーしん
- Born
- June 26, 1934 (age 92)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Dog
- Origin
- Littleton, Colorado, United States
- Occupation
- composer / pianist / conductor / jazz musician / songwriter
2. Background
- High school
- Littleton High School
- University
- University of Colorado
Awards & achievements
- 1991 Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award
- 1989 Academy Award for Best Original Score
- 1989 Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
- honorary doctor of the Berklee College of Music
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Dave Grusin and the NY-LA Dream Band | — | |
| Notable work | Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live! | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Dave Grusin born?
Born June 26, 1934 (age 92).
Where is Dave Grusin from?
Dave Grusin is from Littleton, Colorado, United States.
What does Dave Grusin do?
Dave Grusin works as composer, pianist, conductor, jazz musician, songwriter.
What is Dave Grusin known for?
Notable works include Dave Grusin and the NY-LA Dream Band, Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live!.
Composer — see all → · Pianist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.