John Kavanaugh

John William Kavanaugh is an American composer, lyricist and musical director who is currently serving as one of several songwriters on Sofia the First: Royal Magic for Disney Television Animation. He is the recipient of 9 Emmy nominations and was awarded the 2014 Daytime Emmy Award for Sofia The First Main Title theme song with co-lyricist Craig Gerber. While working on Sofia The First, Kavanaugh was tapped to write songs for Disney's first Latina princess, the award-winning Elena of Avalor. Kavanaugh penned the songs and served as music director on the series Alice's Wonderland Bakery which premiered in February of 2022. In 2023, he earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Original Song for "The Hat Makes The Hatter," co-written with lyricists Chelsea Beyl and Marisa Evans-Sanden, and the trio repeated their success in December 2024 with another nomination for "Let Your Wish Carry You Away" from season two.

Kavanaugh has also written several songs for Disney Channel’s live-action series Vampirina: Teenage Vampire, including season one’s "Maybe I'm Falling," with lyrics by David Goldsmith. His songs can be heard in several hit movies, including Disney's Descendants 3 (My Once Upon a Time), Winnie The Pooh film Springtime with Roo and Nickelodeon's Globehunters. He co-wrote the scores to Curious George Live for NBC Universal, Dreams are Universal for Universal Studios Japan, Flintstones: The Musical for Universal Studios Hollywood, as well as numerous songs for Sesame Street Live and Tokyo DisneySea. With lyricist Marcy Heisler, Kavanaugh wrote the song "Joseph's Lullaby" for Michael Crawford which appears on his 1998 album On Eagle's Wings.

Personal life John William Kavanaugh is the son of Edward Houston Kavanaugh and Eileen Kirby Gunn and is the youngest of six children. He grew up in Norfolk, Virginia and developed his passion for music by watching his mother play the piano and create/direct many variety shows in Norfolk. Kavanaugh graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida and began working at Disney World in 1983. He then moved to Los Angeles in 1986 to work for Disneyland where he soon began his composing career writing for theatre, theme parks worldwide and eventually for television.

He has been partnered with Efren Gonzalez since 1989 and married (once it was legal) since 2014. John and Efren reside in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California.

Awards

Year Award Song Category/Award Shared with Result 2024 Children's & Family Emmy Awards "Let Your Wish Carry You Away" "Alice's Wonderland Bakery: Hattie Wishes Upon A Star" Outstanding Original Song for a Preschool Program Marisa Evans-Sanden and Chelsea Beyl Nominated 2023 Children's & Family Emmy Awards "The Hat Makes The Hatter" "Alice's Wonderland Bakery: It's the Hatter that Matters" Outstanding Original Song for a Preschool Program Marisa Evans-Sanden and Chelsea Beyl Nominated 2021 Daytime Emmy Awards "Something In The Air" "Elena of Avalor: Sweetheart's Day" Outstanding Original Song in a Preschool, Children's or Animated Program Rachel Ruderman and Craig Gerber Nominated 2020 Daytime Emmy Awards "Never Leave", "Elena of Avalor: Movin' on Up" Outstanding Original Song in a Children's, Young Adult or Animated Program Jeffrey M. Howard and Craig Gerber Nominated 2019 Daytime Emmy Awards "For One And All", "Sofia the First: Forever Royal" Outstanding Original Song in a Children's or Animated Program Craig Gerber Nominated 2019 Daytime Emmy Awards "Fallin' Like a Rock", "Elena of Avalor: A Lava Story" Outstanding Original Song in a Children's or Animated Program Craig Gerber, Silvia Olivas and Kerri Grant Nominated 2019 Kidscreen Awards Elena of Avalor Creative Talent Award/Best Music Tony Morales, Craig Gerber 2019 Annie Awards Elena of Avalor Outstanding Achievement in Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production Tony Morales, Craig Gerber, Rachel Ruderman and Silvia Olivas Nominated 2015 ASCAP Film And Television Awards Sofia the First 2014 Top Television Series, Composer 2014 Primetime Emmy Awards "Merroway Cove", "Sofia the First: The Floating Palace" Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics Craig Gerber Nominated 2014 Daytime Emmy Awards "Sofia the First: Main Title Theme" Outstanding Original Song - Main Title and Promo Craig Gerber 2014 Daytime Emmy Awards "I Belong", "Sofia the First: The Princess Test" Outstanding Original Song Craig Gerber Nominated 2014 Annie Awards Sofia the First Outstanding Achievement in Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production Kevin Kliesch and Craig Gerber Nominated 2014 ASCAP Film And Television Awards Sofia the First 2013 Top Television Series, Composer

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