Stephen Schwartz

Stephen Schwartz, born March 6, 1948, in the heart of New York City—man, what a place to kick off your journey, right? He’s the musical brain behind some seriously iconic stuff. If you’ve ever had “Defying Gravity” stuck in your head for like, DAYS, you’ve got him to thank (or blame, honestly). Wicked? That’s all Stephen. The dude’s fingerprints are all over Broadway, but he didn’t stop there. He jumped into the world of animated movies too—yeah, that’s his work on The Prince of Egypt (that “When You Believe” song? Total classic) and Pocahontas (don’t even get me started on “Colors of the Wind”—straight-up chills). You gotta give it to the guy, he’s got range. Not every composer can nail both big, splashy musicals and heartfelt movie scores, but Stephen? He makes it look easy. Been married to Carole Piasecki since 1969 (wild, right? That’s a lot of years to keep things grooving), and they’ve got two kids. His music’s got this way of sticking with you, whether you’re belting out show tunes in the shower or pretending you’re a Disney princess in the woods. Schwartz isn’t just writing catchy hooks; he’s telling stories, pulling heartstrings, and making people feel all the feels—sometimes all in the same song. Broadway legend, film composer, family man. Not a bad resume, honestly.