Richard M. Sherman

It’s with a profound sense of sorrow that we mark the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Richard Sherman. Together with his brother Robert, the Sherman brothers are responsible for some of the most beloved songs in the Great American Songbook, by virtue of their masterful contributions to the classic Disney movie musicals of the 1960s and ‘70s.

A longtime member of the SCL family and an official SCL Ambassador since 2005, Richard loved nothing more than to gather an audience around the piano, from where he would lead them in his songs. I remember one such evening at the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel after a screening of “Saving Mr. Banks,” the movie loosely based on the Sherman Brothers’ experience working at Disney (with Walt) developing the songs for what eventually would become “Mary Poppins.” With Emma Thompson (who played Poppins author P.L. Travers in the movie) sitting alongside him on the piano bench, Richard and a throng of about 60 of us, belted out the Sherman catalog for over an hour.

We all knew the words – for many, like me, they were integral to our childhood. My very first recollection of seeing a movie in a cinema was a trip with my aunt to see “Mary Poppins” in 1964. It was a profound experience that I remember to this day.

A consummate gentleman, Richard had a way of making you feel like you’d known him all your life, from the moment you met him. He had a smile that would melt your heart, clearly the outward manifestation of the joy he had inside, and so evident in his music.

Richard, you can rest knowing the songs you wrote with Robert will continue to bring joy to generations forever. Your contribution to music is immeasurable. 

Farewell, kind soul. Rest in peace. 

Ashley Irwin
SCL President