Will Jennings, the Oscar-winning lyricist of “My Heart Will Go On” and “Up Where We Belong,” has died. He was 80.
The songwriter died Friday at his home in Tyler, Texas, his agent Sam Schwartz of Gorfaine/Schwartz confirmed to The Times. “May his memory be a blessing,” he said of Jennings via email. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Jennings, who was born in Texas in 1944, wrote songs that have been recorded by Dionne Warwick, Jimmy Buffett, Rodney Crowell, Peter Wolf, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Diana Ross, among others. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006.
Her best-known pop classics include Whitney Houston's “Didn't We Almost Have It All,” Barry Manilow's “Looks Like We Made It,” Steve Winwood's “Higher Love,” and Eric Clapton's “Tears in Heaven,” the latter of which earned her the Grammy Award for Song of the Year, her first of three Grammys.
“A sad time, the passing of Will Jennings, a teacher, a brilliant mind and a gentle spirit,” wrote Wolf, who collaborated with Jennings on two albums. on social networks“It was a huge honour to have worked with a musical genius like him.”
Will Jennings, left, and James Horner backstage at the Academy Awards after winning the Oscar for “My Heart Will Go On” from “Titanic” in 1998.
(Bob Riha Jr./Getty Images)
Jennings won Oscars for “Up Where We Belong,” written with Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie and performed by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes for the film “An Officer and a Gentleman,” and “My Heart Will Go On,” written with James Horner and performed by Celine Dion for the film “Titanic.”
“[It] “condensed that movie’s epic melodrama into five endlessly replayable minutes of faux-Celtic majesty,” wrote Times pop music critic Mikael Wood of “My heart will go on” in 2015“The song also cemented Celine Dion’s place as one of music’s most reliable (and unabashed) emotors.”
Jennings also contributed to “Where Are You Christmas?” from the film “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” as well as “One Day I'll Fly Away,” which appeared in the film “Moulin Rouge!” (along with Jennings’ “Up Where We Belong”).
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my friend and collaborator Will Jennings,” musician Christopher Cross wrote in X“Working with Will was a masterclass in lyric writing for me. He was a consummate wordsmith and his gift to the world is eternal.”
“The love for your brilliant songs will last forever” Composer Diane Warren saying in X“Write with power, Will Jennings.”
