Harold Wheeler, a prolific and Tony-winning Broadway orchestrator, composer and conductor who for 17 seasons served as musical director for ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, died following a lengthy illness Wednesday, June 24, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 82.
His death was announced by longtime family friend, the Broadway producer Lamar Richardson.
Wheeler received a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater in 2019 and Tony nominations for orchestrations throughout his career for such Broadway productions as The Life (1997), Little Me (1999), Swing! (2000), The Full Monty (2001), Hairspray (2003) and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005).
From 2006 to 2013, Wheeler was the musical director and composer for 17 seasons of Dancing With The Stars, parting ways with the competition series after producers reportedly (and controversially) decided to pivot to increasing use of recorded music rather than live band music. Former American Idol bandleader Ray Chew took over the DWTS job after Wheeler left.
Born William Harold Wheeler Jr. on July 14, 1943, in St. Louis, Missouri, Wheeler began his music career in the 1960s as the musical director for hit-making composer Burt Bacharach, a job that is often credited as being the first for a major pop act to be held by an African-American man. Later he would provide musical arrangements for such acts as Tony Orlando and Nina Simone, and in 1996 he was a conductor of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Summer Olympics.
In 2004 he was named Music Conductor for the 76th Academy Awards. He followed that up three years later by being named music arranger for the 79th Oscars.
As a music director, arranger, conductor, supervisor, pianist – or all of the above – his screen credits over the decades have included The Magical World of Disney, the 1993 Presidential Inaugural Gala for Bill Clinton, The Jacksons: An American Dream, Homefront, and various Emmy, People’s Choice, Oscar and Kennedy Center ceremonies. He was involved with such Broadway-to-TV specials for Hairspray, Dreamgirls and Love! Valour! Compassion!
On recordings, Wheeler was, among many other credits, the arranger, conductor & producer for Simone’s 1971 Here Comes the Sun, and played piano on Bruce Springsteen’s songs “Blinded By the Light” and “Spirit In The Night” in 1973. He served as arranger and conductor for the 2005’s Mississippi Rising, a TV concert/telethon benefiting Mississippi and Louisiana hurricane recovery funds.
His stage credits were many. His 31 Broadway productions began in 1968 with Promises, Promises, and continued over the next decade with Coco, Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death, Two Gentlemen of Verona and, in 1975, The Wiz.
The 1980s brought continued stage successes such as Leader of the Pack and Dreamgirls, but finished off that decade with the legendary flop Carrie.
He rebounded quickly and decisively, with the ’90s and 2000s bringing acclaimed Broadway projects such as The Life, Side Show, Little Me, Swing!, The Full Monty, Hairspray, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Lennon, Hugh Jackman Back on Broadway and Ain’t Too Proud.
In addition to his Lifetime Achievement Tony, Wheeler received a 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP Theatre Awards.
Wheeler is survived by wife Hattie Winston, the Electric Company and Becker actress whom he met when both attended Howard University. Other survivors include daughters Marian and Samantha, and grandchildren.
English (US) ·