The Sammy Film Music Awards
aka: The Sammys
The longest-running awards
for film music recordings
.jpg)
Sample award certificate
The Sammy Film Music Awards
(Sammys)
© 1988
These awards are named in honor of prolific movie lyricist, Sammy Cahn (1913-1993),
who received 4 Oscars
and was nominated 26 times,
more than any other past songwriter.
These awards are based on the overall quality of the film music recordings.
Over 150 movie songs and soundtracks have been named for over 30 years.
The Sammy Film Music Awards are given for outstanding film music re-recorded or re-issued
as well as new film scores and songs.
Please Give Your Support!
To receive this special limited edition CD,
click this link to
Support The Sammy Film Music Awards (Sammys)
The Sammy Film Music Awards (SFMA) have been awarded each year
by Roger Hall, Managing Editor of Film Music Review (FMR)
and IFMCA music critic,
He is the author
of this new ebook with numerous illustrations.
It will be available beginning 10 March 2026
and will include a listing of 30 years of the SFMA
and with numerous illustrations
The first awards were chosen for best score and song of 1988 –
the year of Sammy Cahn’s 75th birthday.
When notified, Sammy said he was “flattered and honored"
to have these awards named after him.
These were the first Sammy Awards for 1988:
Best Film Score: THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST - music by John Williams
Best Film Song: "Let The River Run" - words & music by Carly Simon from WORKING GIRL
In the early years the Sammys were announced
on the popular Boston public radio program,
"Music America," on WGBH-FM, hosted by Ron Della Chiesa.
The 32nd Sammy Film Music Awards were announced in 2020
including the first Lifetime Achievement for a women songwriter
-- click here
Please help support
The Sammy Film Music Awards!
Due to lack of funding, these awards are not currently being chosen.
Over 150 film scores and songs
were chosen over 30 years
in recognition of "Excellence" in film music recordings.
Your finacnial support
is needed so these awards may continue to honor
film composers and record producers who deserve praise for their work.
Help support the Sammy Film Film Music Awards!
Please help support the Sammy Film Music Awards by ordering this limited edition CD
recorded live in concert for the centennial birthday observance
of Sammy Cahn in 2013,
with a marvelous group of cabaret singers,
accompanied by a swinging jazz combo.
The CD includes all four of the Oscar-winning songs with lyrics by Sammy Cahn.
Commentary on the CD by popular WGBH-FM Radio Host -- Ron Della Chiesa
CD: It's Magic: A One Hundreth Birthday Celebration of Sammy Cahn
This CD is only available in the USA.
It is also possible to receive the audio titles on the CD
sent by email attachment
to any country worldwide.
To order "It's Magic" go -- here
Words By Sammy Cahn
Many of Sammy's popular movie songs are included in
this excellent collection --
The New Sammy Cahn Songbook
Read Sammy's frank and witty autobiography --
I Should Care: The Sammy Cahn Story
See also
Sammy Cahn
Centennial Tribute
Sammy Cahn and His Four Oscars
Sammy Cahn was Oscar nominated more than any other songwriter –
26 times in all between 1942 and 1973.
He has also won 4 Oscars and 1 Emmy, more than any other songwriter of his generation.
The first Sammy Awards were chosen for best score and song of 1988 –
the year of Sammy Cahn’s 75th birthday.
When he was notified, Sammy said he was “flattered and honored" to have them named after him.
He certainly deserved the honor.
Sammy received 4 Oscars for his lyrics:
- "Three Coins in the Fountain" (1954) from
THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN -- music by Jule Styne
- "All The Way" from THE JOKER IS WILD (1957) --
music by James Van Heusen
- "High Hopes" from A HOLE IN THE HEAD (1959) --
music by James Van Heusen --see this song performed by American Classics vocal ensemble - here
- "Call Me Irresponsible" from PAPA'S DELICATE CONDITION (1963) --
music by James Van Heusen -- see this song performed by American Classics ensemble --here
Sammy also received an Emmy for the song, "Love and Marriage" from the TV production of OUR TOWN.
All five of these songs were recorded by Frank Sinatra,
a longtime friend and admirer of Sammy's lyrics.
John Williams Receives 16th Sammy Film Music Award!
John Williams has received more Sammy Film Music Awards
than any other current film composer.
Here are the 16 SFMA he has received (scores and songs):
1988: THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST
1989:
BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY
1990: "Somewhere in my memory" from HOME ALONE - lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
1993: SCHINDLER'S LIST
1995: "Moonlight" from SABRINA - lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman
1997: SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET
1998: SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (also 20th anniversary edition in 2019)
2001: A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
2004: THE TERMINAL
2005: MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
2011: WAR HORSE
2014: EMPIRE OF THE SUN (expanded limited edition)
2015: STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
2017 (2 awards): STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
and
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (expanded remastered edition)
2020: STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
Film Composers with next highest Sammy Film Music Awards:
Alexandre Desplat (5 SFMA)
James Newton Howard (4 SFMA)
[1995, 2002, 2004, 2007]
Alan Menken (4 SFMA)
[1989, 1991 (2), 1992]
Randy Newman (4 SFMA)
[1999, 2000, 2003, 2006]
In Memoriam - Ennio Morricone, 1928-2020
Sammy Film Music Awards for Best Album Producers
James Fitzpatrick
(Tadlow)
).jpg)
Douglass Fake (INTRADA)
(right to left) Anna Bonn, William Stromberg, John Morgan
(TRIBUTE FILM CLASSICS)
.jpg)
Mike Matessino, Album Producer
and Mastering
Nick Redman, Album Producer
