NASHVILLE (CelebrityAccess) — Stacy Widelitz, the noted composer, songwriter, photographer, and storyteller who contributed music to films such as Dirty Dancing and Disney’s Pocahontas II, died on June 17. He was 69.
According to a provided obituary, Widelitz passed away after a recent diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic cancer.
A native of New York, Widelitz relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a songwriter. There, he met Patrick Swayze, and the two co-wrote the song “She’s Like the Wind,” which was featured in Swayze’s blockbuster Dirty Dancing and helped establish Widelitz’s reputation in the industry.
Widelitz went on to score feature films, including Disney’s Pocahontas II, and composed music for more than 20 made-for-TV movies. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his contributions to ABC’s World of Discovery.
In 2000, Widelitz relocated to Nashville, where he continued working in the music industry and became an active member of the region’s arts and civic communities.
He served on the boards of several organizations, including the Leadership Music Board of Directors (where he was a past president), the Nashville Opera (past president), the Nashville Film Festival (past president), and Alias Chamber Ensemble (past president). He also served on the board of Dismas House and, in 2016, was elected to a four-year term as Commissioner for the City of Oak Hill, Tennessee.
Widelitz was also an accomplished photographer, with his work showcased at Chauvet Arts in Nashville.
In a note written just days before his passing, Widelitz reflected on his life:
“When I look at my life, I’ve been on an incredibly lucky streak. I pursued my dreams of a career in music from an early age, and made a success of them. I even found further satisfaction and success with new and unexpected pursuits, such as photography and civic leadership. It’s been gratifying, fascinating, at times challenging and infuriating, but mostly it’s been a whole lot of fun. I’m not torturing myself with ‘shoulda’ or ‘coulda.’ As Édith Piaf sang, ‘Non, je ne regrette rien’ — I regret nothing.”
