Sally Dworsky

Last updated

Sally Dworsky
Birth nameSally Gail Dworsky
Born Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. [1]
Genres Alt-rock, folk rock, movie soundtracks
OccupationSinger
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1989–present
Spouse Chris Hickey

Sally Dworsky is an American singer-songwriter and playback singer in animated films. In addition to her solo work and co-fronting the alt-rock band Uma, Dworsky served as the singing voice for lead characters in iconic animated films including The Lion King and The Prince of Egypt , both of which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song – as well as Shrek . She has also recorded or performed with R.E.M., Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, Neil Diamond and many others.

Contents

Early life

Dworsky was born to Robert and Shirley Dworsky, [2] and grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. [3] She has one sister, Rabbi Susan Dworsky, [4] [2] [5] and two brothers, [2] pianist Richard Dworsky [6] and former lawyer turned drummer and author Alan Dworsky. [7]

Career

In Minnesota, she was a member of the bands Moore by Four [6] [3] and Players. [6] In Moore by Four, her voice was described as "sparkling", "marvelous separately – together [with band members], they're dynamite." [8] She also appeared in lead roles in musicals at the Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis. [6] [9]

After moving to California, [6] where she appeared in a featured role in the Los Angeles production of Les Misérables, [6] [10] she toured with Don Henley as a back-up singer, [6] [11] and was noted by a reviewer for a "strong solo" in "Sunset Grill". [3] She also sang back-up vocals in the studio, and on stage, for artists including R.E.M., Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, Shelby Lynne, Teddy Thompson, Rodney Crowell, Midge Ure, Ringo Starr, and many others.

She began singing in films including leading roles in The Lion King , The Prince of Egypt , [12] and Shrek . [13] As the singing voice of Nala in The Lion King , she sang part of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", [14] which won the 1995 Academy Award for Best Original Song. One of the songs she recorded for The Prince of Egypt (in the role of Miriam) was "When You Believe" (in a duet with Michelle Pfeiffer), [15] which won the 1999 Academy Award for Best Original Song. [16] One reviewer wrote about the song, which was also recorded and released by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, "the film version of the song will move you in a wholly good way ... singers Sally Dworsky and Michelle Pfeiffer convey the hope and amazement every living Hebrew must have felt at hearing Pharaoh's own emancipation proclamation." [15]

In the early 1990s, she gave her first solo performances, in the Twin Cities and in Los Angeles, [6] and in 1995 released a solo EP, Habit Trail., [17] produced by Jay Joyce. Dworsky has also performed on A Prairie Home Companion . [18] [ unreliable source? ]

Dworsky joined the group Uma (Chris Hickey and Andy Kamman) and they signed a record deal with producer Don Gehman's label Refuge, an MCA affiliate. They released the album Fare Well in 1997 and toured throughout the U.S. and Canada with artists such as Jonatha Brooke and Chris Whitley. Dworsky released Start It All Over Again, an album of covers, with her brother Richard Dworsky in 2006 and followed up in 2008 with Boxes, an album of original songs. She has since released two singles, Same Room in 2018 and This Day in 2020, both produced by Marshall Vore.

Personal life

Dworsky was married to singer-songwriter Chris Hickey. [19] They have fraternal boy-girl twins, Lila, and singer-songwriter Charlie Hickey (b. 1999). [20] [21] [22]

Discography

Soundtracks

Solo

Uma

Filmography and TV appearances

Awards and recognition

Related Research Articles

<i>Mulan</i> (1998 film) Animated film directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft

Mulan is a 1998 American animated musical coming-of-age action-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation for Walt Disney Pictures. Based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, the film was directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft and produced by Pam Coats, from a screenplay by Rita Hsiao, Chris Sanders, Philip LaZebnik, and the writing team of Raymond Singer and Eugenia Bostwick-Singer, and a story by Robert D. San Souci. Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, Miguel Ferrer, and BD Wong star in the English version as Mulan, Mushu, Shan Yu, and Captain Li Shang, respectively, while Jackie Chan provided the voice of Li Shang for the Chinese dubs of the film. The film's plot takes place in China during an unspecified Imperial dynasty, where Fa Mulan, daughter of aged warrior Fa Zhou, impersonates a man to take her father's place during a general conscription to counter a Hun invasion.

<i>The Lion King</i> 1994 American animated musical drama film

The Lion King is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution under the Walt Disney Pictures banner. The film was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff and produced by Don Hahn, from a screenplay written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. The film features an ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Moira Kelly, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Niketa Calame, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Rowan Atkinson, and Robert Guillaume. Its original songs were written by composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, with a score by Hans Zimmer. Inspired by African wildlife, the story is modelled primarily on William Shakespeare's stage play Hamlet with some influence from the Biblical stories of Joseph and Moses, and follows a young heir apparent who is forced to flee after his uncle kills his father and usurps the throne. After growing up in exile, the rightful king returns to challenge the usurper and end his tyrannical rule over the kingdom.

<i>The Lion King II: Simbas Pride</i> 1998 animated film

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is a 1998 American animated direct-to-video musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Video Premiere. It is the sequel to Disney's 1994 animated film, The Lion King, with its plot influenced by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and the second installment in The Lion King trilogy. According to director Darrell Rooney, the final draft gradually became a variation of Romeo and Juliet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jodi Benson</span> American actress, voice actress and singer (born 1961)

Jodi Benson is an American actress and singer. She is best known for providing the voice of Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid and throughout other films, including its sequel, prequel, and television series spin-off, as well as many other Disney works. Benson also filled in for Paige O'Hara as the voice of Belle in House of Mouse and voiced the character Barbie in the second and third films of the Toy Story franchise (1999–2010), and in the Toy Story Toons short Hawaiian Vacation (2011). For her contributions to Disney, Benson was named a Disney Legend in 2011.

<i>The Hunchback of Notre Dame</i> (1996 film) American animated musical drama film

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1996 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is loosely based on the 1831 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. The film was directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise and produced by Don Hahn, from a screenplay written by Tab Murphy, Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and the writing team of Bob Tzudiker and Noni White. Featuring the voices of Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Tony Jay, and Kevin Kline, the film follows Quasimodo, the deformed and confined bell-ringer of Notre Dame, and his yearning to explore the outside world and be accepted by society, against the wishes of his cruel, puritanical foster father Claude Frollo, who also wants to exterminate Paris' Roma population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mason Jennings</span> American folk-pop singer-songwriter (born 1975)

Mason Jennings is an American folk-pop singer-songwriter.

Sounds of Blackness is a vocal and instrumental ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota who perform music from several genres music including gospel, R&B, soul, and jazz. The group scored several hits on the Billboard R&B and Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts in the 1990s. Cynthia Johnson of Lipps Inc. and Ann Nesby are the group's most prominent alumni.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can You Feel the Love Tonight</span> 1994 song from Disneys The Lion King

"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King composed by English musician Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. Released as a single in May 1994, the song was a hit in the UK, peaking at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, and achieved success in the United States, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was a number-one hit in Canada and France. At the 67th Academy Awards in March 1995, it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The same year, the song also won John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Completing a trifecta, the song also won a Golden Globe at the 52nd Golden Globe Awards held in 1995 for Best Song - Motion Picture.

Nala (<i>The Lion King</i>) Fictional character from The Lion King franchise

Nala is a fictional character in Disney's The Lion King franchise. Introduced in the The Lion King (1994), Nala subsequently appears as a less prominent character in the The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998) and The Lion King 1½ (2004), and serves as a recurring character in The Lion Guard (2015–2019) television series. In the original animated film trilogy, the adult Nala is voiced by American actress Moira Kelly. Young Nala's speaking voice in the original film is provided by actress Niketa Calame, while singers Laura Williams and Sally Dworsky provide the singing voices of young and adult Nala respectively. Nala is introduced as the daughter of an unnamed lion and Sarafina, the best friend of Simba, and ultimately becomes his wife as well as the daughter-in-law of Mufasa and Sarabi and the niece-in-law of Scar by the end of The Lion King. Nala becomes Simba's wife as well as his Queen Consort. Nala is also the mother of Kiara and Kion, and in The Lion King: Six New Adventures, she is the mother of Kopa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paris Bennett</span> American singer (born 1988)

Paris Ana'is Bennett is an American singer who finished in fifth place on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol.

<i>The Swan Princess</i> 1994 American film

The Swan Princess is a 1994 American animated musical fantasy film based on the ballet Swan Lake. Featuring Michelle Nicastro, Howard McGillin, Jack Palance, John Cleese, Steven Wright, Sandy Duncan, and Steve Vinovich, the film is directed by former Disney animation director Richard Rich and scored by Lex de Azevedo. The film was distributed by New Line Cinema in the United States and by Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International outside the US. It was released theatrically on November 18, 1994, and grossed $9.8 million against a $21 million budget, becoming a box-office bomb, partly due to struggling competition with a re-release of The Lion King (1994). The film later became popular through home video releases and has since been followed by a series of direct-to-video sequels starting in 1997.

<i>The Lion King</i> (1994 soundtrack) 1994 soundtrack album by Elton John and Hans Zimmer

The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album for the eponymous Disney film. It contains songs from the film written by Elton John and Tim Rice, and a score composed by Hans Zimmer. Elton John has a dual role of performer for several tracks. Additional performers include Lebo M, Carmen Twillie, Jason Weaver, Rowan Atkinson, Joseph Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeremy Irons, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, and Sally Dworsky. The album was released on May 31, 1994 on CD and audio cassette. The soundtrack was recorded in three different countries: the U.S., the U.K. and South Africa. It is the best-selling soundtrack album to an animated film in the United States with over 7 million copies sold, with 4,934,000 copies sold in 1994. Hans Zimmer was awarded an Academy Award for his Original Motion Picture Score in 1995. An expanded version of The Lion King soundtrack, featuring 30 minutes of previously-unreleased material, was released as part of the Walt Disney Records: The Legacy Collection series on June 24, 2014. In 2014, Hot Topic released a vinyl picture disc of the soundtrack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liz Callaway</span> American actress and singer (born 1961)

Liz Callaway is an American actress, singer and recording artist, who is best known for having provided the singing voices of many female characters in animated films, such as Anastasia in Anastasia, Odette in The Swan Princess, Jasmine in the Aladdin sequels The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves, adult Kiara in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, and a dancing napkin ring in Beauty and the Beast. She was also the original Ellen in the Broadway production of Miss Saigon.

<i>Disney Princess: The Ultimate Song Collection</i> 2004 compilation album by Various Artists

Disney Princess: The Ultimate Song Collection is a 2004 album that is a compilation of various Disney Princess songs, including the original song "If You Can Dream", that has since been featured on several other Disney compilation albums. It was released on September 21, 2004, by Walt Disney Records, and went on to peak at #4 on Billboard's Top Kid Audio chart.

<i>Disney Magic</i> (album) 2004 compilation album by Various Artists

Disney Magic was released by Walt Disney Records on September 20, 2004. The album includes various pop stars like Christina Aguilera, Sting, Phil Collins, Celine Dion and Robbie Williams performing popular Disney songs. These tracks also appeared in Disney movie soundtracks. It is a two-disc album with 22 songs on each CD.

<i>Shrek</i> 2001 DreamWorks Animation film

Shrek is a 2001 American animated fantasy comedy film loosely based on the 1990 children's picture book of the same name by William Steig. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson and written by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman, and Roger S. H. Schulman, it is the first installment in the Shrek film series. The film stars Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. In the film, an embittered ogre named Shrek (Myers) finds his home in the swamp overrun by fairy tale creatures banished by the obsessive ruler Lord Farquaad (Lithgow). With the help of Donkey (Murphy), Shrek makes a pact with Farquaad to rescue Princess Fiona (Diaz) in exchange for regaining control of his swamp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judith Hill</span> American singer-songwriter

Judith Glory Hill is an American singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, California. She has provided backing vocals for such artists as Michael Jackson, Prince, and Josh Groban. In 2009, Hill was chosen as Jackson's duet partner for the song "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" during his This Is It rehearsals. After Jackson's death in 2009, she, along with the rest of the This Is It cast members, performed at Jackson's memorial service and attracted global attention when she sang the lead on the song "Heal the World". Hill's rise to fame is recounted in 20 Feet from Stardom, a documentary film that tells the untold story of the backup singers behind some of the "greatest musical legends of the 21st century". She is also a featured artist on the film's soundtrack. She won the Grammy Award for Best Music Film for her performance in this film.

Gloria Wood was an American singer and voice actress. Her rare voice was in the four-octave range. She was able to imitate other voices.

Chris Hickey is an American singer-songwriter from Los Angeles. He was a member of the punk-pop band The Spoilers, the folky trio Show of Hands, and the alt folk rock band, Uma. He has six solo records and his voice and/or his songs have appeared on records by Sally Dworsky, Joe Henry, Michael Penn, Indigo Girls,, Scott Seskind, Shannon Worrell, Phil Cody, Dean Stefan, and Craig Wisda.

Charlie Hickey is an American indie rock musician from Pasadena, California. Hickey is currently signed to Phoebe Bridgers' Saddest Factory Records.

References

  1. ↑ "Sally Dworsky (visual voices guide)". www.behindthevoiceactors.com.
  2. 1 2 3 "Funeral notices: Dworsky, Shirley". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. August 31, 2004. p. B6. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Bream, John (July 23, 1990). "Passion, musicianship are Henley's hallmarks". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 5B. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Carleton Rabbi to retire by June". thecarletonian.com.
  5. ↑ "Rabbi Shoshana Susan Dworsky Welcome to Dworsky Mediation!". mediate.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bream, Jon (May 3, 1991). "Dworsky Steps Into Spotlight With First Solo Performances". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 30, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Pfister, Darlene (February 19, 1997). "A New Beat". The Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. E9. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  8. ↑ Habich, John (October 10, 1986). "Four is audience's lucky number". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 3C. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  9. ↑ Bream, Jon (September 28, 1984). "Singer Steele will make pop music debut via two jobs". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 2C. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  10. ↑ Sullivan, Dan (June 3, 1988). "'Les Miz' Barrels Into Town". The Los Angeles Times. p. 14, pt VI. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  11. ↑ Gettelman, Parry (June 29, 1990). "Henley faithful to trademark sound". The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. A2. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  12. ↑ Seymour, Gene (December 21, 1998). "Animated films: Talk about a difficult job". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, Maryland. p. 5E. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  13. ↑ Hischak, Thomas S. (October 6, 2011). "Dworsky, Sally". Disney Voice Actors: A Biographical Dictionary. Jefferson, NC; London: McFarland. p. 66. ISBN   9780786486946 . Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  14. ↑ Commander Coconut (July 1, 1994). "Play ball, shut up, make better movies". The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. 1, Calendar. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  15. 1 2 Peyton, Jeffrey (March 24, 2005). "Don't miss animated retelling of the Exodus". Columbian-Progress. Columbia, Mississippi. p. 4. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  16. ↑ Welkos, Robert W. (February 24, 1999). "Oscar's Big Song Squabble". The Los Angeles Times. p. D1. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Raúl Melo". prairiehome.publicradio.org. Archived from the original on January 11, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Prairie Home Companion at Town Hall – April 11, 2008". Rattle My Cage. Archived from the original on July 8, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  19. ↑ "Chris Hickey Talks About Love Away and Sings About Strummer, Cash, Whitley, and McLennan". nodepression.com.
  20. ↑ "Ears Wide Open: Charlie Hickey « buzzbands". buzzbands.la. April 6, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Happy Birthday to these two beautiful humans. I love you more every day. Have an amazing new year !!! ❤️❤️🥳🥳❤️❤️". instagram.com.
  22. ↑ "Happy birthday to you and also to me. Love u char. Thanks for being my best friend". instagram.com.
  23. ↑ "Music Reviews". News-Press. December 26, 1997. Retrieved April 30, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ Hischak, Thomas S.; Robinson, Mark A. (2009). "Can you feel the love tonight?". The Disney Song Encyclopedia. Lanham, Maryland; Toronto; Plymouth, UK: Scarecrow Press. p. 29. ISBN   9780810869387 . Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Play Ball, Shut Up, Make Better Movies". The Orlando Sentinel. July 1, 1994. Retrieved April 30, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  26. ↑ "Oscar in Brief". The News Leader. March 21, 1999. Retrieved April 30, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  27. ↑ Roland, Tom (October 1, 1996). "Epitome of country/rock crossover". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. p. 4A. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  28. ↑ "ASCAP's award-winners". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 40. October 4, 1997. p. 104. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 4, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.