Budd Carr obit

Budd Carr Dies: Music Supervisor For Oliver Stone Movies, ‘Heat’ & Many Others Was 79

 

He was not on the list.

Budd Carr, a rock musician-turned-music agent who managed the band Kansas before helping to establish the role of music supervisor in film and TV, died unexpectedly July 20 in Santa Barbara where he lived. He passed away surrounded by family from complications following a routine medical procedure he had undergone four days prior. He was 79.

Carr started his career as a member of the band One Eyed Jacks which had a bit of success late 50s and 60s. He then became a music agent and came across an unsigned band from Kansas named Kansas. He took them on and managed the group through its glory days. He also produced the 2015 Kansas documentary Miracles Out of Nowhere.

As the band started slowing down a bit in the 1980s, Carr began looking for new sources of income and became a music supervisor at a time when it was not a popular vocation as the studios’ music departments were tasked with procuring songs.

“He really revolutionized this field,” Carr’s attorney of more than 30 years and close friend Jeffrey Light, told Deadline.

The first movie Carr worked on, the 1984 The Terminator, became a global blockbuster. Starting with the 1986 Salvador, Carr became a close collaboration of Oliver Stone, serving as a music supervisor on all of his movies, including Platoon, Wall Street, The Doors, Born On the Fourth of July, JFK, Natural Born Killers, Nixon, Alexander, W. World Trade Center and Snowden. Carr was talking to the director about his next film at the time of his death.

Other features Carr worked on throughout his career included Heat, Evan Almighty, Any Given Sunday, Twister, Hotel Rwanda, Donnie Brasco, Beyond Borders, Stigmata, Seven Years In Tibet and Hoosiers.

He received two Guild of Music Supervisor Awards nominations, for the movie Get It On: The James Brown Story and the series Californication.

Outside of his career, Carr was very active in local Santa Barbara charities and helped raise a lot of money for first responders.

“He was a guy whose heart was always in the right place, and he was always looking to do the next right thing,” Light said.

Carr is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jeanne, and their three adult children, Elizabeth Carr-Ernst, Ryan and Jonathon.

Actor

Dermot Mulroney and Ricky Schroder in There Goes My Baby (1994)

There Goes My Baby

6.3

Performer

1994

 

Producer

Miracles Out of Nowhere (2015)

Miracles Out of Nowhere

8.0

producer

2015

 

Music Department

Heroes Ukraine (2025)

Heroes Ukraine

Music Video

executive music producer

2025

 

David Bowie's Heroes Ukraine (2025)

David Bowie's Heroes Ukraine

Short

executive music producer

2025

 

Nuclear Now (2022)

Nuclear Now

7.3

executive music producer

2022

 

JFK: Destiny Betrayed (2021)

JFK: Destiny Betrayed

7.8

TV Mini Series

executive music producer

2021

4 episodes

 

LA Originals (2020)

LA Originals

7.2

music supervisor

2020

 

Tape (2020)

Tape

4.2

music supervisor

2020

 

Johnny Depp and Minami in Minamata (2020)

Minamata

7.2

music supervisor

2020

 

Playmobil: The Movie (2019)

Playmobil: The Movie

4.9

executive music producer

2019

 

Bodied (2017)

Bodied

7.1

music supervisor

2017

 

Oliver Stone and Vladimir Putin in The Putin Interviews (2017)

The Putin Interviews

7.4

TV Series

executive music producer

2017

 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Snowden (2016)

Snowden

7.3

executive music producer

2016

 

Split (2016)

Split

3.6

executive music producer

2016

 

Chadwick Boseman in Get on Up (2014)

Get on Up

6.9

music supervisor

2014

 

Anne Archer, Terrence Howard, Richard Jenkins, Garrett Hedlund, Jennifer Hudson, and Jessica Brown Findlay in Lullaby (2014)

Lullaby

6.1

executive music producer

2014

 

Hugo Chávez in Mi Amigo Hugo (2014)

Mi Amigo Hugo

4.3

TV Movie

executive music producer

2014

 

The Untold History of the United States (2012)

The Untold History of the United States

8.6

TV Mini Series

executive music producer

2012

3 episodes

 

Salma Hayek, John Travolta, Benicio Del Toro, Blake Lively, and Taylor Kitsch in Savages (2012)

Savages

6.4

executive music producer

2012

 

Fidel Castro in Castro in Winter (2012)

Castro in Winter

3.6

executive music producer

2012

 

David Duchovny in Californication (2007)

Californication

8.3

TV Series

music supervisor

2007–2012

50 episodes

 

Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

6.2

executive music producer

2010

 

Anthony Sellers in The Crazies (2010)

The Crazies

6.5

music consultant

2010

 

Rebecca Romijn, Jaime Ray Newman, and Lindsay Price in Eastwick (2009)

Eastwick

6.5

TV Series

music supervisor

2009–2010

13 episodes

 

South of the Border (2009)

South of the Border

7.0

executive music producer

2009

 

Matthew Perry and Kiele Sanchez in The End of Steve (2008)

The End of Steve

7.0

TV Movie

music supervisor

2008

 

John Leguizamo, Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Peña, Debra Messing, Freddy Rodríguez, Melonie Diaz, Luis Guzmán, Jay Hernandez, and Vanessa Ferlito in Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

Nothing Like the Holidays

6.1

music supervisor

2008

 

Josh Brolin in W. (2008)

W.

6.3

executive music producer

2008

 

Harvey Keitel, Gretchen Mol, Michael Imperioli, and Jason O'Mara in Life on Mars (2008)

Life on Mars

7.5

TV Series

music supervisor

2008–2009

 

Who Do You Love (2008)

Who Do You Love

6.0

executive music producer

2008

 

Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, and Katie Holmes in Mad Money (2008)

Mad Money

5.9

music supervisor

2008

 

Feel the Noise (2007)

Feel the Noise

3.0

executive music producer

2007

 

Jennifer Connelly, Joaquin Phoenix, and Mark Ruffalo in Reservation Road (2007)

Reservation Road

6.6

music supervisor

2007

 

Steve Carell in Evan Almighty (2007)

Evan Almighty

5.4

song consultant

2007

 

Where God Left His Shoes (2007)

Where God Left His Shoes

7.1

executive music producer

2007

 

Dakota Fanning in Hounddog (2007)

Hounddog

6.2

executive music producer

2007

 

Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher in The Guardian (2006)

The Guardian

6.9

music consultant

2006

 

Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson in Seraphim Falls (2006)

Seraphim Falls

6.6

music consultant

2006

 

World Trade Center (2006)

World Trade Center

6.0

music supervisor

2006

 

The Fog (2005)

The Fog

3.7

executive music producer

2005

 

Gael García Bernal in The King (2005)

The King

6.6

executive music producer

2005

 

Anthony Hopkins, Val Kilmer, Angelina Jolie, and Colin Farrell in Alexander (2004)

Alexander

5.6

music supervisor

2004

 

Don Cheadle, Nick Nolte, Joaquin Phoenix, Mosa Kaiser, Sophie Okonedo, Ofentse Modiselle, and Mathabo Pieterson in Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Hotel Rwanda

8.1

executive music supervisor

2004

 

Romola Garai and Diego Luna in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights

5.9

executive music producermusic supervisor

2004

 

Angelina Jolie and Clive Owen in Beyond Borders (2003)

Beyond Borders

6.4

executive music producer

2003

 

Charlotte Church, Craig Ferguson, and Jemma Redgrave in I'll Be There (2003)

I'll Be There

6.4

executive music producer

2003

 

Elizabeth Hurley and Matthew Perry in Serving Sara (2002)

Serving Sara

5.3

executive music consultant

2002

 

Angelina Jolie and Edward Burns in Life or Something Like It (2002)

Life or Something Like It

5.8

executive music producer

2002

 

Mark Wahlberg in Rock Star (2001)

Rock Star

6.3

music supervisor

2001

 

Robert De Niro and Edward Norton in The Score (2001)

The Score

6.8

executive music producer

2001

 

Jude Law and Joseph Fiennes in Enemy at the Gates (2001)

Enemy at the Gates

7.5

executive music consultant: Mandalay Pictures

2001

 

Promo Poster

Beautiful

5.7

music supervisor

2000

 

Amanda Peet, Jonathan Abrahams, Zorie Barber, Judah Domke, and Brian Van Holt in Whipped (2000)

Whipped

4.4

music supervisor

2000

 

Cameron Diaz, Al Pacino, James Woods, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx, and LL Cool J in Any Given Sunday (1999)

Any Given Sunday

6.9

music supervisor

1999

 

Stigmata (1999)

Stigmata

6.2

executive music producer

1999

 

Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael McElroy in The Deep End of the Ocean (1999)

The Deep End of the Ocean

6.3

executive music producer

1999

 

Sharon Stone and Jean-Luke Figueroa in Gloria (1999)

Gloria

5.2

executive music consultant

1999

 

Vanessa Williams and Chayanne in Dance with Me (1998)

Dance with Me

5.9

executive music producer

1998

 

Claire Danes, Uma Thurman, Liam Neeson, and Geoffrey Rush in Les Misérables (1998)

Les Misérables

7.4

executive music consultant

1998

 

Kevin Bacon, Neve Campbell, Matt Dillon, and Denise Richards in Wild Things (1998)

Wild Things

6.6

executive music producermusic consultant (uncredited)

1998

 

Andy Garcia and Michael Keaton in Desperate Measures (1998)

Desperate Measures

6.1

executive music consultant

1998

 

Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Freddie Prinze Jr. in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

I Know What You Did Last Summer

5.8

executive music consultant

1997

 

Brad Pitt and Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk in Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

Seven Years in Tibet

7.1

executive in charge of music

1997

 

Jennifer Lopez and Sean Penn in U Turn (1997)

U Turn

6.7

executive music producer

1997

 

Sandra Bullock and Jason Patric in Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)

Speed 2: Cruise Control

4.0

executive soundtrack producer

1997

 

Nowhere (1997)

Nowhere

6.5

executive music producer

1997

 

Johnny Depp and Al Pacino in Donnie Brasco (1997)

Donnie Brasco

7.7

executive music producer

1997

 

Whoopi Goldberg, Gérard Depardieu, and Haley Joel Osment in Bogus (1996)

Bogus

5.4

music consultant

1996

 

Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton in Twister (1996)

Twister

6.6

music supervisor

1996

 

Anthony Hopkins in Nixon (1995)

Nixon

7.0

executive music producer

1995

 

Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Al Pacino, Ted Levine, Wes Studi, Jerry Trimble, and Mykelti Williamson in Heat (1995)

Heat

8.3

music supervisor

1995

 

Rupert Wainwright and Barry Yourgrau in The Sadness of Sex (1995)

The Sadness of Sex

6.5

music supervisor

1995

 

Sigourney Weaver, Holly Hunter, and William McNamara in Copycat (1995)

Copycat

6.6

executive music producer

1995

 

Gravesend (1995)

Gravesend

6.2

music supervisor

1995

 

James Woods in Killer: A Journal of Murder (1995)

Killer: A Journal of Murder

6.3

executive music producer

1995

 

Nancy McKeon, Lucy Deakins, Jeremy London, and Adrian Pasdar in A Mother's Gift (1995)

A Mother's Gift

6.4

TV Movie

music consultant

1995

 

Wil Horneff in Born to Be Wild (1995)

Born to Be Wild

5.2

music supervisor

1995

 

Rose McGowan, Johnathon Schaech, and James Duval in The Doom Generation (1995)

The Doom Generation

6.2

executive music producer

1995

 

Dermot Mulroney and Ricky Schroder in There Goes My Baby (1994)

There Goes My Baby

6.3

executive music producer

1994

 

Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis in Natural Born Killers (1994)

Natural Born Killers

7.2

executive music producer

1994

 

Steven Seagal in On Deadly Ground (1994)

On Deadly Ground

4.6

music supervisor

1994

 

Tommy Lee Jones in Heaven & Earth (1993)

Heaven & Earth

6.8

executive music producer

1993

 

Airborne (1993)

Airborne

6.3

music supervisor

1993

 

Wild Palms (1993)

Wild Palms

7.0

TV Mini Series

music supervisor

1993

5 episodes

 

South Central (1992)

South Central

6.8

executive music producer

1992

 

Cuba Gooding Jr. and James Marshall in Gladiator (1992)

Gladiator

6.5

executive music producer

1992

 

Kevin Costner in JFK (1991)

JFK

8.0

executive music producer

1991

 

Mariel Hemingway, Raymond Burr, John Candy, Dylan Baker, David Rasche, Charles Rocket, and Emma Samms in Delirious (1991)

Delirious

5.8

music supervisor

1991

 

Kate Capshaw, Balthazar Getty, Scott Glenn, and Ben Johnson in My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991)

My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

6.2

executive music producer

1991

 

Val Kilmer in The Doors (1991)

The Doors

7.2

executive music producer

1991

 

Waiting for the Light (1990)

Waiting for the Light

6.0

music supervisor

1990

 

To Sleep with Anger (1990)

To Sleep with Anger

7.1

music supervisor

1990

 

Tom Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

Born on the Fourth of July

7.2

music supervisor

1989

 

Bedroom Eyes II (1989)

Bedroom Eyes II

3.8

music supervisor

1989

 

Triumph of the Spirit (1989)

Triumph of the Spirit

6.8

music supervisor

1989

 

Talk Radio (1988)

Talk Radio

7.2

music supervisor

1988

 

Alien Nation (1988)

Alien Nation

6.3

music supervisor

1988

 

The Stick (1988)

The Stick

5.5

music supervisor: Los Angeles

1988

 

Jennifer Rubin in Bad Dreams (1988)

Bad Dreams

5.6

music supervisor

1988

 

Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, and Daryl Hannah in Wall Street (1987)

Wall Street

7.3

music supervisor

1987

 

Burt Reynolds, James Remar, and Liza Minnelli in Rent-a-Cop (1987)

Rent-a-Cop

4.7

music supervisor

1987

 

James Woods and Brian Dennehy in Best Seller (1987)

Best Seller

6.4

music supervisor

1987

 

Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, John C. McGinley, and Kevin Eshelman in Platoon (1986)

Platoon

8.1

music supervisor

1986

 

Hoosiers (1986)

Hoosiers

7.4

music supervisor

1986

 

Danyi Deats in River's Edge (1986)

River's Edge

6.9

music supervisor

1986

 

The Patriot (1986)

The Patriot

3.1

music supervisor

1986

 

Sean Penn and Christopher Walken in At Close Range (1986)

At Close Range

6.9

music supervisor

1986

 

James Woods in Salvador (1986)

Salvador

7.3

music supervisor

1986

 

Tawny Kitaen and Lee Curreri in Crystal Heart (1986)

Crystal Heart

5.0

music consultant

1986

 

The Longshot (1986)

The Longshot

5.4

music supervisor

1986

 

The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

The Return of the Living Dead

7.3

music consultant

1985

 

Ingrid Boulting and Brent Huff in Deadly Passion (1985)

Deadly Passion

4.1

music consultant

1985

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984)

The Terminator

8.1

music consultant

1984

 

Thanks

Kirsten Høj and Blythe Davis in The Circus Monkey (2025)

The Circus Monkey

Short

thanks

2025

 

Party Time! The Music of Return of the Living Dead (2016)

Party Time! The Music of Return of the Living Dead

9.0

Video

special thanks

2016

 

Chaos Rising: The Storm Around 'Natural Born Killers' (2001)

Chaos Rising: The Storm Around 'Natural Born Killers'

6.9

Video

special thanks

2001

 

Soundtrack

Romola Garai and Diego Luna in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights

5.9

producer: "High School Confidential"

2004

 

Charlotte Church, Craig Ferguson, and Jemma Redgrave in I'll Be There (2003)

I'll Be There

6.4

performer: "Honky Tonk Train Blues"producer: "Another Girl, Another Planet", "Honky Tonk Train Blues", "Jungle Rock", "Red Hot", "Trouble", "Ubangi Stomp"

2003

 

Dermot Mulroney and Ricky Schroder in There Goes My Baby (1994)

There Goes My Baby

6.3

producer: "Leader of the Pack"

1994

 

Tommy Lee Jones in Heaven & Earth (1993)

Heaven & Earth

6.8

producer: "Trong Com", "Sau Dau Tree Song", "Please Come Visit My Village of Hoa Qui"writer: "Please Come Visit My Village of Hoa Qui"

1993

 

Self

Party Time! The Music of Return of the Living Dead (2016)

Party Time! The Music of Return of the Living Dead

9.0

Video

Self

2016

 

Miracles Out of Nowhere (2015)

Miracles Out of Nowhere

8.0

Self - booking agent for Kansas 1974-1975 and Kansas manager

2015

 

Party Time

Short

Self

2012

 

Dancing for Oliver (2006)

Dancing for Oliver

Self

2006

 

The Making of 'Speed 2: Cruise Control'

5.5

TV Movie

Self

1997