HAWKINS ON MURDER-WINTER KILL-CD-JERRY GOLDSMITH

Hawkins on Murder (1973) was the 90-minute pilot film for a short-lived series starring Jimmy Stewart as Billy Jim Hawkins, a canny West Virginia defense attorney. Goldsmith wrote an energetic theme featuring twangy Minimoog synthesizer, emphasizing Hawkins' country roots and the authority of the law. The balance of the 17-minute score features sympathetic strains for an innocent heiress played by Bonnie Bedelia, with acoustic guitar performances by Laurindo Almeida.

Winter Kill (1974) was a two-hour intended pilot movie starring Andy Griffith as a small-town sheriff confronted with a vicious string of murders. Goldsmith wrote an exciting theme for ARP synthesizer, strumming guitars and orchestra, foreshadowing his popular score to Breakheart Pass (1976), along with moody, ambient suspense and action cues including low-end piano and tabla percussion. (Certain atmospheric cues are relegated to the bonus section of the CD.)

Babe (1975) was a stellar TV movie about Babe Didrikson Zaharias, the greatest woman athlete of the 20th century. The production was one of the first biopics for television and one of the finest, with Emmy-winning efforts by actress Susan Clark and Goldsmith. The score is a sensitive gem of melody and Americana, with a heartfelt main theme often played by acoustic guitar, and lively accompaniment for Babe's athletic achievements.

This CD features Goldsmith's complete scores to Hawkins on Murder, Winter Kill and Babe, remixed and mastered from the original 1/2" stereo tapes. Liner notes are by TV music authority Jon Burlingame.

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