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Peter Himmelman
Peter Himmelman
Background information
Born	November 23, 1959 (age 65); St. Louis Park, Minnesota, U.S.
Genres	Rock, folk rock, folk, blues
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, composer, speaker
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar, piano, bass
Years active	1980–present
Labels	Himmasongs
Website	peterhimmelman.com www.bigmuse.com

Peter Himmelman (born November 23, 1959, in St. Louis Park, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and film and television composer from Minnesota, who formerly played in the Minneapolis indie rock band Sussman Lawrence before pursuing an extensive solo career.^[1]

Himmelman is also the founder, CEO and Chief Dream Enabler of Big Muse, a company that helps individuals and organizations unlock their creative potential.^[2]

Career

Himmelman in 2017 at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis

Himmelman garnered his first solo deal on Island Records in 1985 after a video for the song "Eleventh Confession" made its way onto regular rotation on MTV. His first release, This Father's Day, was composed for his father, David. In the early '90s, he achieved significant alternative radio play with songs including "The Woman With The Strength of 10000 Men", from his From Strength To Strength release. He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2002 for his song "Best Kind of Answer", which appeared in the CBS series Judging Amy, for which he also composed the score. He was the composer for the FOX television show Bones through the fourth season. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his children's album, My Green Kite. USA Today has called Himmelman "one of rock's most wildly imaginative performers" for his often highly improvisational stage shows.

Big Muse

In 2011 Himmelman began working with organizations and brands such as McDonald's, Gap Inc., and Banana Republic to help them achieve better communication, innovation and leadership, via a company he started called Big Muse. The methodology Himmelman created is designed to help organizations increase innovative thinking, team building and leadership ability. Its main metaphor for teaching these skills is songwriting.

Personal life

Himmelman is married to Maria Dylan, a lawyer and adopted daughter of Bob Dylan.^[3] They have four children.

Himmelman identifies as an Orthodox Jew,^[4] prays three times a day,^[5] and does not work on the Jewish sabbath or Jewish holidays.

Discography

Solo studio albums

1986: This Father's Day (reissued 1995)
1987: Gematria
1989: Synesthesia
1991: From Strength to Strength
1992: Flown This Acid World
1994: Skin
1999: Love Thinketh No Evil
2004: Unstoppable Forces (bonus disc: Himmelvaults, vol. 3)
2005: Imperfect World
2007: Pigeons Couldn't Sleep (bonus DVD: Rock God – originally titled: Mittin Derinin)
2010: The Mystery and the Hum
2014: The Boat That Carries Us
2017: There Is No Calamity
2020: Press On
2024: At the Emergence of Stars

Band albums

1978: Shangoya – "Get a Grip" – 7" single
1979: Sussman Lawrence – Hail to the Modern Hero (reissued 1980)
1984: Sussman Lawrence – Pop City
2004: The Complete Sussman Lawrence (1979–1985) (double CD reissue with bonus tracks) (CD, Deep Shag Records)
2013: Minnesota – Are You There? (2013)

Solo children's albums

1997: My Best Friend Is a Salamander
2000: My Fabulous Plum (re-issued 2004)
2004: My Lemonade Stand
2007: My Green Kite
2009: My Trampoline

Live albums

1996: Stage Diving – Live from The Bottom Line – NY, NY
2008: Pen and Ink

Greatest hits compilations

2004: The Complete Sussman Lawrence (1979–1985) (double CD reissue with bonus tracks) (CD, Deep Shag Records)
2005: Mission of My Soul, The Best of Peter Himmelman
2007: Songs of Folly and Transcendence (1998–2007)
2011: Best of Kids Collection: Songs to Make Boring Days Fun

Rarities releases

1998: Himmelvaults, Vol. 1
1999: Himmelman Music for Film
2002: Himmelvaults, Vol. 2
2004: Himmelvaults, Vol. 3 – bundled with Unstoppable Forces
2005: Himmelvaults, Vol. 4 Pristine
2005: Himmelvaults, Vol. 5 When Grace Collides with Sin
2006: Himmelvaults, Vol. 6
2007: Himmelvaults, Vol. 7
2008: Himmelvaults, Vol. 8
2009: Blackout in the Book of Light
2011: Flimsy
2014: Himmelvaults, Vol. 9^[6]

Spinoza Bear Project

In the early 1980s, Himmelman wrote and produced songs for Spinoza Bear, a therapeutic stuffed animal that was used to eliminate the stress of children in hospitals, rape victims, autism sufferers and others. He also provided the voice of the bear.

1984: I'm Your Friend and My Name Is Spinoza – Bonding, Opens Communication
1985: You Are All You Need To Be – Encouragement, Self Esteem
1985: Everybody Needs A Little Tenderness – Ease Anxiety
1985: Dream on the Water – Encourage Sleep
1986: Do You Wonder – Curiosity, Learning
1986: Good Friends – Feelings, Relationships
1991: New Beginnings – Relaxation, Healthy Choices
1991: Breathing Healthy, Breathing Free – Positive Attitude, Deep Breathing
1991: Hold On to Me – Grief and Loss

Filmography

From 2008 to 2010, Himmelman produced a live Internet show, Furious World,^[7] broadcast every Tuesday evening from his home studio. The show featured original live music with his band, video segments that ranged from philosophical to comedic, and special guests from the world of technology, music and the arts.

The film Rock God is a documentary about Himmelman directed by Keith Wolf. It is described as "a road epic about the pursuit of an adolescent dream into adult reality that powerfully touches on issues of faith, fame and failure".^{[according to whom?]}

Film and TV composition credits

TV scoring credits

Bones (FOX)
Judging Amy (CBS) – Emmy-nominated song "Best Kind of Answer"
Men in Trees (ABC)
Ex List (CBS)
Heartland (TNT)
Freshmen Diaries (Showtime)
The American Embassy (FOX)
Going to California (Showtime)
Making the Band 4 (MTV)
Bug Juice (Disney)
ER – Season 9 – "A Thousand Cranes" (NBC): "Always in Disguise", from the album Flown This Acid World
Miami Vice – Season 3 – "Lend Me an Ear" (NBC)
How To Rock (Nickelodeon)

Film music and scoring credits

Ash Tuesday – Janeane Garofalo
Four Feet
The Souler Opposite – Chris Meloni, Tim Busfield
Bill's Gun Shop
A Slipping-Down Life – Guy Pearce, Lili Taylor
Dinner & Driving – Joey Slotnick, Paula DeVico, Sam Robards, Brigitte Bako
Liar's Poker – Flea
Crossing the Bridge – Jason Gedrick, Stephen Baldwin, David Schwimmer
Pyrates – Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick
Queen Sized – Nikki Blonsky
Porn 'n Chicken
Snow in August
A Face to Kill For – Doug Savant, Crystal Bernard
Long Gone – Dermot Mulroney
Heart of Dixie – Ally Sheedy, Phoebe Cates, Treat Williams

Visual art and writing

Himmelman is also a visual artist and painter whose work appeared on the cover of his 1987 Island release Synesthesia. A collection of his recent art can be found online.^[8] Himmelman is also a poet and essayist, making many contributions to the philosophy blog Feed Your Head.^[9]