Sir Tim Rice

Sir Tim Rice is a multi-award-winning lyricist. Although he began he professional life with the intention of being a solicitor, he harboured aspirations in the field of pop music and eventually became a management trainee at EMI.

His collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber is world-famous. Their first work was a piece for an annual end of term school concert – Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which quickly began to take on a life of its own leading to subsequent stagings, additions of new material, and even a record deal.

This initial success was followed with the show that was to bring Rice and Lloyd Webber international fame and guarantee them a place in musical theatre history, Jesus Christ Superstar. Other work includes Evita with Lloyd Webber, Blondel with Stephen Oliver and Chess with Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus from the pop group ABBA

With the proven world-wide appeal of Tim Rice’s lyrics, it was not surprising when in 1991 the Disney organisation signed Tim as lyricist for The Lion King. When lyricist Howard Ashman passed away, Tim was asked to work with Alan Menken on finishing Disney’s 1992 animated film Aladdin. He was asked to collaborate with Menken again in 1994 to provide additional songs for the theatrical production of Beauty And The Beast. Tim Rice and Elton John teamed up again in 1996 when Disney asked them to do an original stage musical based on Verdi’s opera Aida.

The year 2000 also saw the release of the film The Road To Eldorado which included 5 songs by Tim and Elton. In 1986 Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber were commissioned by Prince Edward to write a piece for Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th birthday. He teamed up with pop composer John Farrar to work on a musical for Cliff Richard based upon Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights called Heathcliff. Over the years Tim has co-produced four musical productions with various partners : Blondel (1983 & 2006), Chess (1986) and Anything Goes (1989).

In addition to musicals and feature films, Tim has written countless pop songs, many of which have enjoyed chart success. His work has won him numerous awards including 12 Ivor Novello awards, 4 Tonys, and 3 Oscars.

Tim was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999. In recognition of his work in film and theatre, Tim was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2002 at the Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris during the celebrations for the tenth anniversary of Disneyland Paris. In 2008, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Tim was knighted 1994.

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