Kurt Farquhar is a Los Angeles-based television and film composer. Farquhar is a seven-time BMI award winner, including four for ''

The King of Queens ''The King of Queens'' is an American television sitcom that ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007, a total of nine seasons and 207 episodes. The series was created by Michael J. Weithorn and David Litt, who also served as the show ...

''. one for '' The Game'' and two for ''

Being Mary Jane ''Being Mary Jane'' is an American drama television series created by Mara Brock Akil and starring Gabrielle Union, that debuted January 7, 2014 on BET. The 90-minute-pilot for the series aired on July 2, 2013. The series follows the professional ...

''. He is best known for composing the scores for ''

'', '' Girlfriends'', '' Sister, Sister'', ''

Moesha ''Moesha'' () is an American television sitcom that aired on UPN from January 23, 1996, to May 14, 2001. The series stars R&B singer Brandy Norwood as Moesha Denise Mitchell, an African-American teenager living with her upper middle class famil ...

'', ''Being Mary Jane'', ''The Game'', ''

Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' #1 (April 1977), during ...

'', The Neighborhood, and ''

Real Husbands of Hollywood ''Real Husbands of Hollywood'' (abbreviated ''RHOH'') is an American reality television parody that originally aired on BET from January 15, 2013 to December 13, 2016. A revival series produced for streaming service BET+ premiered on February 1 ...

''. Farquhar's career is notable for having scored more prime-time television series than any other African-American composer to date. A native of Chicago, he is the youngest of five children. He is the younger brother of television producer and writer

Ralph Farquhar Ralph Farquhar (born September 19, 1951) is an American film and television producer and writer, and playwright. He is the co-creator of three sitcoms set in South Central, Los Angeles, California: the Fox sitcom '' South Central'', and, with S ...

, and the two have worked together on several shows. Farquhar musical education took him from the streets of Chicago to the famed

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, The National Conservatory of Music in Versailles, France, and

Eastern Illinois University Eastern Illinois University is a public university in Charleston, Illinois. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a co ...

, where he studied with noted percussion teacher Johnny Lane. By the age of 12, Farquhar had already written his first symphonic work. During his early 20s, Farquhar performed with various jazz artists most notably Grammy Award-winning trumpet player

Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...

. In his late twenties, Farquhar was the lead singer of the band Big Slamm. They released their first single, "Livin' Large," on

Modern Records Modern Records (Modern Music Records before 1947) was an American record company and label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. Modern's artists included Etta James, Joe Houston, Little Richard, Ike & Tina Turner and John Lee ...

. This song went on to become the end title for the pilot episode of ''Livin' Large'', produced by Stephen J. Cannell. Farquhar went on to create theme songs and scores for a multitude of television shows and feature films. Farquhar is also the founder and CEO of True Music, a prominent music licensing catalog operating out of

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. I ...

, which has licensed music throughout broadcast and cable television as well as feature films.

Works

Television

Film

Recordings

#Real Life (composer) - The Pointer Sisters #Stupid Love (arranger) - Brenda Russell #Crazy For Your Love (composer) - Sam Riney #Now That I'm With You (composer) - Papa John Creach #Everytime We Kiss (composer) - Sam Riney

References

External links

Official websiteTrue Music website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Farquhar, Kurt Year of birth missing (living people) African-American film score composers American film score composers Living people Male film score composers Place of birth missing (living people) 21st-century African-American people