Kurt Farquhar is a Los Angeles–based television and film composer. Farquhar is an eleven-time BMI award winner, including four for The Neighborhood, four for The King of QueensBMI News: Kurt Farquhar one for The Game and two for Being Mary Jane. He is known for composing the scores for The King of Queens, Girlfriends, Sister, Sister, Moesha, Being Mary Jane, The Game, Black Lightning, The Neighborhood, and Real Husbands of Hollywood. Farquhar's career is notable for having scored more prime-time television series than any other African-American composer to date. Currently, Farquhar composes the score to the CBS soap opera Beyond the Gates. In 2026, he was nominated for a NAACP Image award for Outstanding Soundtrack for "The Proud Family: Louder & Prouder".
A native of Chicago, he is the youngest of five children. He is the younger brother of television producer and writer Ralph Farquhar, and the two have worked together on several shows.
Farquhar musical education took him from the streets of Chicago to the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston, The National Conservatory of Music in Versailles, France, and Eastern Illinois University, where he studied with noted percussion teacher Johnny Lane. By the age of 12, Farquhar had already written his first symphonic work. During his early 20s, Farquhar performed with various jazz artists most notably Grammy Award-winning trumpet player Freddie Hubbard.
In his late twenties, Farquhar was the lead singer of the band Big Slamm. They released their first single, "Livin' Large," on Modern Records. This song went on to become the end title for the pilot episode of Livin' Large, produced by Stephen J. Cannell. Farquhar went on to create theme songs and scores for a multitude of television shows and feature films.
Farquhar is also the founder and CEO of True Music, a prominent music licensing catalog operating out of Pasadena, California, which has licensed music throughout broadcast and cable television as well as feature films.
Works Television Title Year Notes Beyond the Gates 2025 CBS First Kill 2022Netflix The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder 2022, 2025 Disney+ Abraham Lincoln TV Mini Series2022Amazon Prime VideoSacrifice 2021BET+ Black Lightning 2018–2021 The CW Games People Play 2019–present BET The Neighborhood 2018–present CBS Saints & Sinners 2016–2022 Bounce TVKirk Franklin's The Night Before Christmas2022LifetimeKirk Franklin's A Gospel Christmas2021TubiWendy Williams: The Movie2021Lifetime TV BiopicMerry Liddle Christmas Wedding2020Lifetime TV Movie Kidnapped: The Kamiyah Mobley Story 2020 Lifetime TV Movie American Soul 2019-2020 BET Being Mary Jane 2013–2019 BET Being Mary Jane 2019 BET TV Movie Ambitions 2019 Oprah Winfrey Network In Contempt 2018 BET The Quad 2016–2018 BET Russell Simmons: All Def Comedy 2017 HBO Media 2017 TV One TV Movie Stitchers 2015-2017 Freeform The Quad (TV Movie) 2016 BET TV Movie Furst Born 2016 CBS Scored pilot Winning Ugly 2016 Fox Scored pilot Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story 2016 BET TV Movie Second Sight 2016 TV One TV Movie Zoe Ever After 2016 BET Here We Go Again 2016 TV One The Next 15 2016 TV One Real Husbands of Hollywood 2013–2016 BET Keyshia Cole: All In 2015 BET Light Girls 2015 Oprah Winfrey Network TV Movie The Game 2006–2023 The CW/BET/Paramount+ Single Ladies 2011–2015 BET Her/Centric/VH1 Seasons 3 and 4 The Fright Night Files 2014 TV One Triggers: Weapons That Changed the World 2011–2013 American Heroes Channel Keyshia & Daniel: Family First 2012 BET Free Agents 2011 NBC A.N.T. Farm 2011 Disney Channel Dark Girls 2011 Oprah Winfrey Network TV Movie Reed Between the Lines 2011 BET K-Ci & JoJo... Come Clean 2010 TV One Docu-series Russell Simmons Presents: Brave New Voices 2009 HBO Lincoln Heights 2007–2009 Freeform Bill Bellamy's Who's Got Jokes? 2006–2009 TV One Gym Teacher: The Movie 2008 Nickelodeon TV Movie Just Jordan 2007–2008 Nickelodeon Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is 2006–2008 BET Girlfriends 2000–2008 UPN/The CW All of Us 2003–2007 UPN/The CW The King of Queens 1998–2007 CBS The Adventures of Baxter and McGuire 2006 Comedy Central Blendin 2006 Scored pilot Love, Inc. 2005–2006 UPN One on One 2001–2006 UPN Seasons 2 and 3 Keke & Jamal 2005 Disney Channel TV Movie Second Time Around 2004–2005 UPN Dance 360 2004–2005 Syndication The Proud Family 2001–2005 ABC/Disney Channel Soul Food: The Series 2000–2004 Showtime Soluna 2004 Scored pilot Cuts 2004 Scored pilot The Parkers 1999–2004 UPN Saving Jason 2003 Scored pilot Play'd: A Hip Hop Story 2002 VH1 TV Movie Commitments 2001 BET TV Movie Cousin Skeeter 1998–2001 Nickelodeon The Famous Jett Jackson 1998–2001 Disney Channel Moesha 1996–2001 UPN Dancing in September 2000 HBO TV Movie The Corner 2000 HBO Miniseries Smart Guy 1997–1999 The WB In the House 1995–1999 NBC/UPN Sister, Sister 1994–1999 ABC/The WB Cousin Skeeter 1998 Nickelodeon The Kirk Franklin Show 1998 Scored pilot Claude's Crib 1997 USA Network C Bear and Jamal 1996–1997 Fox Ned and Stacey 1995–1997 Fox Matt Waters 1996 CBS Under One Roof 1995 CBS My Brother and Me 1994–1995 Nickelodeon South Central 1994 Fox The Sinbad Show 1994 Fox Def Comedy Jam: Primetime 1994 HBO Thea 1993–1994 ABC Roc 1991–1994 Fox Rachel Gunn, R.N. 1992 Fox The Royal Family 1991–1992 CBS Drexell's Class 1991–1992 Fox New Attitude 1990 NBC Jackée 1989 NBC Television pilot
Film Title YearDirectorThe Best You Can 2025 Michael J. WeithornRuth & Boaz2025Alanna Brown Absolute Dominion 2025 Lexi AlexanderCan You Feel the Beat: the Lisa Lisa Story2025Tailiah BreonTempted by Love: A Terry McMillan Presentation2024Tailiah BreonSingle Black Female 2: Simone's Revenge2024Shari L. CarpenterBull Run2024Alfredo Barrios Jr.Unthinkably Good Things2022Terri J. Vaughn 2 Minutes of Fame 2020 Leslie Small The Counter: 1960''' | 2017 | Tracy "Twinkie" Bird |- ! scope="row"| Created Equal| 2017 | Bill Duke |- ! scope="row"| The Perfect Match| 2016 | Bille Woodruff |- ! scope="row"| What Love Will Make You Do| 2015 | Lisa Haynes |- ! scope="row"| Dark Girls| 2012 | Bill Duke and D. Channsin Berry |- ! scope="row"| 96 Minutes| 2011 | Aimee Lagos |- ! scope="row"| Lifted| 2011 | Lexi Alexander |- ! scope="row"| Pastor Brown| 2009 | Rockmond Dunbar |- ! scope="row"| Not Easily Broken| 2009 | Bill Duke |- ! scope="row"| The Adventures of Baxter Baxter & McGuire: The Boss| 2008 | Mike Blum |- ! scope="row"| Cover| 2007 | Bill Duke |- ! scope="row"| Miles from Home| 2006 | Ty Hodges |- ! scope="row"| Gas| 2004 | Henry Chan |- ! scope="row"| Room 302'' 2001 Short film
Recordings
Real Life (composer) – The Pointer Sisters Stupid Love (arranger) – Brenda Russell Crazy For Your Love (composer) – Sam Riney Now That I'm With You (composer) – Papa John Creach Everytime We Kiss (composer) – Sam Riney
References
External links
True Music website