George Edward Wilkins (March 1, 1934 – November 8, 2024) was an American musician, arranger, and composer who was best known for his work with the Disney Parks.
Life and career George Edward Wilkins was born in Detroit, Michigan on March 1, 1934.Obituary of George Edward Wilkins, 90 Paso Robles Daily News
Early career Wilkins' first foray into music was serving as a solo vocalist at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Detroit. Wilkins got his start in the music industry as a backup vocalist and vocal arranger for Patti Page during the 1950s. In the 1960s, he also co-founded the vocal group The Doodletown Pipers. By this time, Wilkins broke out as a composer for film and television with his work on the Rankin/Bass productions Return to Oz (1964) and The Wacky World of Mother Goose (1967).
Disney In 1979, Wilkins joined Walt Disney Productions as a protégé to composer Norman "Buddy" Baker, and was tasked with writing the arrangements for the Listen to the Land and Kitchen Kabaret attractions at EPCOT, which was opening in three years, but was thrust into a composer role for the entire park after Baker was involved in a car accident. Wilkins then became music director for EPCOT in 1981 when Baker was called away to compose and conduct the score for The Fox and the Hound.
Wilkins arranged several versions of the song "It's Fun to Be Free", for the World of Motion attraction, and arranged the Journey into Imagination ride music. After several arrangement opportunities, Wilkins was finally tasked with lead composing duties on the Horizons pavilion, after Disney show development head Randy Bright had rejected the Sherman Brothers' compositions for the ride. Wilkins composed the pavilion's area loop, as well as all on-ride music and audio cues.
Throughout his time at Disney, Wilkins acted as both a "composer in residence" as well as director of music for Walt Disney Imagineering. Wilkins composed the music for the original song "We've Come So Far" for Space Mountain in 1984, as well as an instrumental arrangement for the attraction's queue, which remains installed in the attraction and can still be heard today. Wilkins was soon called back to work on EPCOT after being tasked with composing the soundscapes for the new Living Seas pavilion with Russell Brower. Wilkins also did all arrangements for the Kitchen Kabaret replacement Food Rocks, and composed all score and audio cues for Test Track in the late 1990s.
Wilkins' final project with Disney was writing arrangements for "it's a small world" at Hong Kong Disneyland, before retiring from the company around 2008.
Death Wilkins died on November 8, 2024 in Paso Robles, California at age 90.Obituary of George Edward Wilkins, 90 Paso Robles Daily News
Credits
Film and television Year Title Notes 1964 Return to Oz TV movie, additional music 1967 The Wacky World of Mother Goose Film 1986–1987 The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin TV series
Disney Parks Year TitlePark Notes1982Kitchen KabaretEPCOTThe Land attraction; queue and attraction arrangements1982Listen to the LandEPCOTThe Land attraction; composed "Symphony of the Seed"1982World of MotionEPCOTArranged interior queue and attraction1982ImageWorksEPCOTImagination pavilion attraction; composed "Electronic Philhamonic"1982Magic Eye TheaterEPCOTImagination pavilion attraction; arranged "Makin' Memories"1982Universe of EnergyEPCOTComposed Exxon logo music and arranged attraction finale1982Entrance plazaEPCOTArranged "Golden Dream" for the park's entrance plaza area music medley1982EPCOT Electronic ForumEPCOTCommuniCore atttraction; composed theme1983Journey into ImaginationEPCOTArranged exterior and interior background music and attraction music1983Meet the WorldTokyo DisneylandArranged queue music 1983 HorizonsEPCOTComposed ride soundtrack, area loop, queue music, and post-show 1984Space Mountain Magic Kingdom ParkComposed queue music, "Star Tunnel," and "We’ve Come So Far" 1984 All Because Man Wanted to FlyDisneyland Park Short film shown prior to the World Premiere Circle-Vision film American Journeys; composer1984Backstage MagicEPCOTCommuniCore attraction; composer 1984 Country Bear Christmas SpecialDisneyland and Magic KingdomArranger 1986 The Living SeasEPCOT Composed both attraction main theme and “Suited for the Sea” film with Russell Brower 1986 Country Bear Vacation HoedownDisneyland and Magic KingdomArranger 1989 Goofy About HealthEPCOT Wonders of Life attraction; composer1989The Great Movie RideDisney's Hollywood StudiosArranger1989Pan Galactic Pizza PortTokyo DisneylandComposer (lyrics by Kevin Rafferty)1991Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3DDisney's Hollywood StudiosQueue music arranger1992Walt's RestaurantDisneyland ParisArranger1992Silver Spur RestaurantDisneyland ParisArranger1992Le Pays des Contes de FeesDisneyland ParisArranger1992The American AdventureEPCOTComposed and arranged the 1992 revision of "Golden Dream"1993Living with the LandEPCOTThe Land attraction; composer1993Carousel of ProgressMagic KingdomArranger for 1993 revision 1994 Roger Rabbit's Car Toon SpinDisneylandArranger 1994 Food RocksEPCOTThe Land attraction; attraction soundtrack producer 1994 Sonny EclipseMagic Kingdom Audio-Animatronic figure located at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe; Composer (lyrics by Kal David and Kevin Rafferty)1994WACKY Radio ShowDisneylandMickey's Toontown area music; composer 1998 The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management)Magic KingdomArranger 1998 It's Tough to Be a Bug!Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme ParkComposer 1998 Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger SpinMagic Kingdom Composer 1999 Test TrackEPCOTQueue medley composer2000Pooh's Hunny HuntTokyo DisneylandArranger2001Paradise PierDisney California Adventure ParkArea music arranger 2001 California Screamin'Disney California Adventure Composer (with Gary Hoey) 2001 Superstar LimoDisney California AdventureComposer2001Mediterranean HarborTokyo DisneySeaArea music arranger2002Journey Into Imagination with FigmentEPCOTComposer2005 Buzz Lightyear Astro BlastersDisneyland Arranger2008"it's a small world"Hong Kong DisneylandArranger
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