James Newton Howard has composed the music for thrillers, Disney animation, and big fantasy series — more than 100 films — a remarkable feat considering that he didn't start doing it until 1985. His latest is a western starring Tom Hanks called News of the World.
But before he was an A-list film composer, Howard was a rock and roller. He played in bands in Los Angeles, near where he grew up the son of a milkman, and where everyone called him "Jimmy."