Who Is Michael Kamen? Age, Biography and Wiki
Michael Kamen was born on April 15, 1948, in New York City, USA. He passed away on November 18, 2003, but his contributions to the world of music remain influential. Kamen was renowned for his work in film scores, orchestral arrangements, and collaborations with leading artists. His unique ability to blend rock and classical music genres led to memorable compositions for films such as Die Hard, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Lethal Weapon. As of 2025, Michael would have been 77 years old.
| Occupation | Songwriter |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | April 15, 1948 |
| Age | 77 Years |
| Birth Place | New York City, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aries |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
Michael Kamen's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details regarding Michael Kamen's height and weight are not extensively documented, it is known that he maintained a creative physique often associated with musicians of his caliber. His passion for music was more apparent in his dynamic compositions rather than physical stature.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Michael Kamen's personal life was marked by his marriages and relationships. He was married to Linda Kamen and had two children from this union. However, not much information is publicly available regarding his dating life before or after his marriage. Kamen was known to be a private individual, and as such, few details about his relationships are widely known.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of Michael Kamen's passing in 2003, his estimated net worth was around $30 million. His earnings primarily stemmed from his successful film scoring career, orchestral works, and collaborations. In 2025, one can only reflect on the legacy he created, influencing future generations of musicians and composers.
Career, Business, and Investments
Michael Kamen's career began in the 1970s when he worked on music for theater and television. His breakthrough came with film scores, garnering critical acclaim and multiple award nominations. Kamen was known to collaborate with various artists, including the rock band Metallica, where he arranged and conducted for their S&M album. His business ventures included production companies and music publishing, which contributed to his lasting financial success.
His successes include his work with Pink Floyd, David Gilmour and Roger Waters (he is one of the few people invited to work with both former Pink Floyd members, even after their acrimonious split), as well as Queen (orchestration on "Who Wants to Live Forever"), Eric Clapton (on Edge of Darkness), Roger Daltrey, Aerosmith (live orchestral version o
f "Dream On" for MTV), Kiss, Tom Petty, Bon Jovi, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, Eurythmics, Queensrÿche, Rush, Metallica (on the song "Nothing Else Matters" and their live album, S&M), Def Leppard, Herbie Hancock, Tim Curry, The Cranberries, Bryan Adams, Jim Croce, Coldplay, Sting, Guns N' Roses (on their performance of "November Rain" on the MTV Vide
o Music Awards) and Kate Bush.
For Bush, Kamen delivered an orchestral backing for "Moments of Pleasure" from The Red Shoes album, substantially building upon a simple piano theme Bush had composed. In this instance and many others, he conducted the orchestra personally for the recording.
In 1984, two years after moving to London, Kamen had similarly heightened the effect of a pop recording for the Eurythmics "Here Comes the Rain Again", that score relying as much on his compositional skills as his arranging talents.
Social Network
Though Michael Kamen passed away in 2003, his legacy lives on through his music and the influence he had on the industry. Social media platforms today showcase tributes to Kamen’s work, highlighting his contributions through fan pages, music playlists, and discussions on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. These social networks serve to keep his memory alive while connecting fans and fellow musicians who admire his work.
In television, Kamen composed music for two series of The Manageress produced by Glenn Wilhide, at Zed Productions for Channel 4, and Joan Bakewell's interview series Memento in 1993, also at Zed Productions for Channel 4 directed by Robin Bextor, but perhaps his best known work was on the 1985 BBC Television serial Edge of Darkness, on which he co
llaborated with Eric Clapton to write the score.
The pair were awarded with a British Academy Television Award for Best Original Television Music for their work and performed the main movie theme with the National Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall of London in 1990 and 1991.
In 1994, Kamen conducted an orchestration of the Who's music for Roger Daltrey's 50th birthday concert series entitled A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who which was subsequently released on CD and DVD.
In the same year he was initially hired to do the soundtrack for the 1994 movie Speed, however Jan de Bont, the director of the movie, rejected him because he wanted Mark Mancina, who at the time worked on some Hans Zimmer scores like Days of Thunder, Where Sleeping Dogs Lie and True Romance.
Education
Kamen pursued his education at the Juilliard School, where he honed his skills in composition and orchestration. His time at such a prestigious institution laid the foundation for his successful career that followed. The lessons learned during this period were evident in his adeptness at blending genres and working with a diverse range of musical styles.
While attending the High School of Music & Art in New York City, Kamen became friends with Martin Fulterman (later known as Mark Snow), who would compose the theme music for The X-Files, among other projects.
While studying the oboe, Kamen formed a rock-classical fusion band called New York Rock & Roll Ensemble, together with classmates Fulterman and Dorian Rudnytsky, along with Clifton Nivison and Brian Corrigan of Toms River, New Jersey.
The group released five albums from 1968 to 1972 (Self-Titled, Reflections, Faithful Friends, Roll Over & Freedomburger). The group performed in white tie (not tuxedos), as typically worn by classical musicians. In the middle of the concert, Fulterman and Kamen would play an oboe duet.
The group backed up friend and classmate Janis Ian in a concert at Alice Tully Hall in late 1967.
