Harold Wheeler, Renowned Broadway Orchestrator and Longtime ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Music Director, Dies at 82

According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Harold Wheeler, the prolific Tony Award-winning Broadway orchestrator, composer, and conductor who spent 17 seasons as the music director for ABC’s hit competition series Dancing with the Stars, has passed away at his home in Los Angeles following a long illness. He was 82. His passing was confirmed by Broadway producer LeMar Richardson, a close friend of the Wheeler family.

In 2019, Wheeler was honored with a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. Throughout his illustrious career, he received six Tony Award nominations for Best Orchestrations, recognizing his exceptional work on The Life (1997), Little Me (1999), Swing! (2000), The Full Monty (2001), Hairspray (2003), and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005).

A Pop Music Pioneer and Collaborator with Global Divas

Born on July 14, 1943, in St. Louis, Wheeler began his professional career in the late 1960s as the musical director for the legendary composer Burt Bacharach, a role noted for making him one of the first African American music directors for a major pop artist. He went on to craft seminal arrangements for iconic figures, including Nina Simone and Tony Orlando. Wheeler served as arranger, conductor, and producer on Simone’s acclaimed 1971 album Here Comes the Sun, and played piano on Bruce Springsteen’s early tracks in 1973.

His extensive international and television credits include:

• Conductor: The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.
• Music Director and Conductor: The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004) and arranger for the 79th Academy Awards (2007).
• Television Specials: Music direction and orchestration for high-profile events, including Bill Clinton’s 1993 Presidential Inaugural Gala, The Wonderful World of Disney, the Emmy Awards, and the Kennedy Center Honors.

A Prolific Legacy on Broadway

Wheeler’s Broadway tenure spanned 31 major productions, beginning in 1968 with Promises, Promises and continuing with landmark musicals such as The Wiz (1975), Dreamgirls (1981), and Hairspray. Following the notorious commercial failure of Carrie the musical in the late 1980s, he made a triumphant return to the stage in the 1990s and 2000s, orchestrating successful productions including Lennon, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, and Ain’t Too Proud.

In addition to his Tony Award honors, Wheeler received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP in 2008. He is survived by his wife, the acclaimed actress Hattie Winston, and their two daughters.