Galt MacDermot

Longtime Staten Islander Galt MacDermot, composer of "Hair," the revolutionary "American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" of the late 20th century, died Monday in his Silver Lake home, a day before his 90th birthday.

MacDermot, who was known for bringing crowds together through music, won two Grammys -- for "African Waltz" in 1960 and for the cast album of the hit musical "Hair" in 1969. Two years later, he took home a Tony Award for best musical for "Two Gentlemen of Verona."

According to his biography, MacDermot was born in Montreal, Quebec. He received a bachelor's degree in music from Cape Town University in South Africa, where he studied African music, particularly choral writing. His affection for it was still discernible in his writing 50 years later.

He moved to New York City in 1964.

MacDermot was a short-haired organist and choirmaster in 1966-1967 when he was hired to write songs for a rock 'n' roll musical being developed by two East Village denizens, James Rado and Gerome Ragni.

"I never even heard of a hippie when I met them," MacDermot told Playbill. "What I got on to was the music of the times. I had just moved back from South Africa, so I was very into African music, and the rock 'n' roll that was happening in the '60s was that, so when they said, 'We want to do a rock 'n' roll show,' I said to them, 'That's exactly what I want to do.'"

He wrote the first score with more 18 songs in three weeks. The final version, an inventive and complex mixture of musical genres, was completed shortly thereafter.

"Hair" made an unofficial debut at the legendary Club Cheetah and opened at the then-new Public Theater in late 1967.

It opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre on April 29, 1968, and ran for 1,750 performances.

"Hair" was followed in 1971 by another success, "Two Gentlemen of Verona," a cheeky, multi-racial musical version of the comedy by William Shakespeare.

"Hair" didn't win a Tony for best musical, but "Verona" did, ahead of Stephen Sondheim’s "Follies."

MacDermot wrote several other shows, film scores, song cycles and one show that is nearly an opera, "The Human Comedy," based on the Saroyan novel.

After "Hair," MacDermot accepted commissions and launched independent projects. For years, he presented/performed a by-invitation winter concert of mostly new music at Weill Recital Hall, upstairs from Carnegie Hall.

MacDermot was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009. He earned the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.

After moving to Staten Island, MacDermot's career composing allowed him to impact local theater and music groups.

In 2011, a score he wrote was recovered by Trinity Lutheran Church in Stapleton and brought to the ears of the public. The musician wrote it for the choirmaster of the church.

Galt MacDermot conducting "Via Galactica" at Cooper Union in 2006. (Staten Island Advance/Michael McWeeney)

MacDermot was seen as a mentor to those in the local arts community and was involved with Wagner College Theatre.

"In Staten Island musical circles, he was a generous, unobtrusive supporter," said Michael J. Fressola, veteran Advance arts and entertainment writer. "More than once, he offered insider guidance with -- you guessed it -- productions of 'Hair' at Wagner College."

In fact, Wagner College Theatre performed three productions of "Hair" as well as "The Goddess Wheel," directed by Rusty Curcio.

"When you have the privilege of singing a composer's music, you form a bond with them," said Wagner College Theatre Department chair Felicia Ruff. "Wagner's Theatre Department had the tremendous fortune of sharing his music with Staten Island audiences, often with Galt in attendance."

"His brilliant joyous work will live forever," said Wagner College Theatre member Gary Sullivan.

Ruff added that MacDermot's influence on the next generation of musicians went beyond his on-stage presence.

"Our students were witness to and partners with a generous, open-hearted artist and a devoted musician par excellence," said Ruff. "All of Staten Island loses a patron of the arts, who was always willing to bring his New Pulse Jazz Band to support local arts organizations."

But there was more to him than met the ear.

Singers revered him. He once convinced Nell Carter, a powerhouse vocalist long before she became a sitcom actress, to join him in a performance at a Port Richmond church.

Twenty years ago, rap and hip-hop musicians on the prowl for beats discovered the rhythmically rich MacDermot playbook.

The composer collaborated with artists, including J Dilla, Gang Starr, MF DOOM, Busta Rhymes and Run-DMC.

In 2007, at nearly 78 years old, MacDermot joined Vernon Reid, lead guitarist of Living Colour, and David Johansen of New York Dolls and Buster Poindexter fame on stage at the St. George Theatre for the Staten Island Composers Project -- a program of all-new music that was distinct from the territory that produced their fame.

MacDermot is survived by his son, Vincent MacDermot, and his daughters, Elizabeth MacDermot Murphy, Jolanthe MacDermot, Sarah MacDermot and Molly MacDermot Boxer.