Aaron Zigman

Aaron Zigman’s got one of those wild résumés that sneaks up on you. He’s scored over 60 films—yeah, The Notebook? That’s him. Bridge to Terabithia, The Proposal, Sex and the City (both of ‘em), Escape from Planet Earth, and a bunch more that pop up on cable when you’re not expecting it. Dude has a classical background, but he’s just as comfy in the pop world, which, honestly, explains why his stuff sticks in your head. Zigman even picked up an Emmy for his work on Crown Heights and has kept busy with projects like the Suge Knight doc for Showtime. He got his start at UCLA, hustling as a songwriter for Almo Irving, writing tunes for Carly Simon, the TV show Fame, and even co-writing with legends like Steve Cropper. He’s cooked up hits for The Jets (“Crush On You,” anyone? That track was everywhere for a minute). And, he’s worked with a staggering lineup—Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, John Legend, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, Christina Aguilera… the list goes on. Zigman also knocked out a 35-minute symphonic piece in honor of Yitzhak Rabin, which kind of changed everything—director Nick Cassavetes heard it and brought him onboard for John Q., then The Notebook blew up, and, just like that, Zigman was Hollywood’s go-to music guy. Not bad for someone who started out behind the scenes, right?