speaker, and executive working in theatre, film, television, home video, music publishing, and recording. As a composer/lyricist, he has hit records spanning the last five decades, performed by artists ranging from Elvis Presley to Aretha Franklin to Helen Reddy and Donna Summer, among many others.

His Oscar-winning songs are “The Morning After” from The Poseidon Adventure and “We May Never Love Like This Again” from The Towering Inferno, both memorably sung by Maureen McGovern. Mr. Kasha wrote and produced many acclaimed song scores including Walt Disney’s classic live action animated musical Pete’s Dragon, which received two Oscar nominations, and on Broadway, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which was Tony-nominated for Best Original Score, and Charles Dickens’ Copperfield libretto as well as song score, which also earned a Tony nomination for Best Original Score. In film, Mr. Kasha wrote the score for All Dogs Go to Heaven, Giant of Thunder Mountain, China Cry, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer starring Whoopi Goldberg.

Mr. Kasha has also been recognized with two Grammy nominations, four Golden Globe nominations, People’s Choice Award, and MovieGuide Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award.

In addition to being the creative force behind Loving the Silent Tears and The Real Love, Al Kasha has written original compositions based on Supreme Master Ching Hai’s poetry for the 4th anniversary celebration of Supreme Master Television.

David Laurell, chief editor of Life After 50 Magazine, interviewed Al Kasha at his Beverly Hills home about his musical career and Loving the Silent Tears. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

David Laurell: As we talk today, I think many people will be very familiar with so much of the work that you have done over the years, (Al Kasha: Thank you.) that has become kind of the soundtrack of so many people’s lives. There are two beautiful and highly coveted pieces of hardware sitting to your left here. I wonder if you could tell me about your two Oscar wins.

Al Kasha: Sure, “The Morning After,” actually, we wrote the song overnight and walking down the studio, it sounds egotistical but I said to Joel, “We’re going to win the Academy Award for this song.” “Oh there, Al, you’re going crazy again.” I said, “I just sense it and I feel it.” Now, we were up against Michael Jackson with “Ben.” And at the Academy Awards, we were the only award that won for The Poseidon Adventure, except for the special effects award.

David Laurell: What about the other Oscar?

Accepting the Academy Award for his song “The Morning After” from presenters Sonny and Cher, 1973

Al Kasha:  We did The Towering Inferno, and they weren’t sure to have a song in the picture. Irwin Allen’s secretary, she got me a copy of the script. I went to the studio with Joel Hirschhorn, and we wrote the song of the scene. I played it for Irwin Allen and he says, “Well, I’m really not sure, I’m not sure.” I said, “Well, I should go and get Bobbi, your secretary.” So Bobbi came in. She said, “Gee, I like the song.” He said, “Oh, we will put the song in the picture.” And that was the second Oscar.

David Laurell: You are still working today. (Al Kasha: Yes.) Is it just something that compels you?

Al Kasha: Yes, it does. I love music, I really love music. I love other composers. I wrote a book about other composers. Right now, I’m working on a Broadway [style] show called Loving the Silent Tears. And this show deals with six continents around the world. We’ve taken the poems of Supreme Master, and we all wrote music to it. She’s like the Gandhi of this generation, I feel. The Supreme Master’s written poetry that really touches my heart. And it deals with the inner happiness that you could have in life. Jesus once said, “There’s enough anxiety during the day. Don’t give yourself further anxieties.” And she writes that way.

David Laurell: How does your current spirituality or religious beliefs tie in to where the Supreme Master is?

Al Kasha: Well, all religions have the Ten Commandments. A lot of people don’t know that. Every religion has the Ten Commandments. Islamic religion does, and what she writes about is in the New Testament and it’s peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness, that’s what she writes about. And she does it and she lives that kind of life. She lived in the Himalayas, my God, where you fast for a week or two.

David Laurell: Tell me a little bit about the new musical.

Al Kasha: Well, it deals with love and harmony between the nations and the species, including animals. And it deals with the Ten Commandments actually, in many ways. So each poem has its own message. It's not the typical musical, but it is a musical, there’s a storyline.  

David Laurell: So not only does this particular musical have incredible music but some of the finest talent that roams the planet today: Jody Watley and Jon Secada… So in late October, the coming together of all of this incredible talent is going to make for an amazing evening.

Al Kasha:  Yes, it’s a musical that will uplift their souls. It’s a musical that deals with hope and happiness.

David Laurell: Even if someone were not familiar with the teachings or tenets of the Supreme Master, it transcends what people (Al Kasha: Absolutely transcends.) would feel about religions or spirituality. There really are few things that have brought the world together like music and poetry. Almost everything else in its own way is almost designed to pull people apart, whether it becomes politics or whether it becomes our different cultures, whether or not we want to embrace someone else’s culture or not, or learn from it. But music and poetry and art really is the great uniter.

Al Kasha: Yes. Absolutely the great uniter. And what this show has, it hits the continents, you’re going to hear all this potpourri of music that came from one voice, the voice of the Supreme Master.

David Laurell: She sounds like a fascinating woman.

Al Kasha: Yes, and it’s the music and the poems that, put together, gives the oneness that we desperately need.

David Laurell: Every day we’re getting a little bit older and I was wondering if you have adopted any type of a philosophy about aging.

Al Kasha: As the Supreme Master says, “Love in action, love animals, and be a vegan,” and I really believe in those three tenets.

With hope and love as the prevailing elements in his lifetime of brilliant music, Al Kasha once again helped to bring upliftment and togetherness to people through Loving the Silent Tears: The Musical.

Interview with Al Kasha by CATV/KCAL-TV (Ch. 9) Airing on L.A.’s major TV channel, KCAL-TV, California Adventure TV introduces to viewers the best things to do and see all over California. With its meaningful message and all-star talents, Loving the Silent Tears was featured on the program. Excerpted below is the segment which had the interview with Mr. Kasha.  CATV: So tell me what inspired you to create this musical?   Al Kasha: Well, the life of Supreme Master Ching Hai, if you think about her life, her life is a musical. She went through tremendous suffering and to a completion of changing the world from her teaching. Last year’s show, The Real Love, dealt with more of the love story. This is more of a spiritual story, a spiritual journey actually through life. So in my mind, it’s a step up. Everyone on the show has either won an Oscar, a Tony Award from Broadway, or Grammy for records, so we put together the best, talented group in the world to communicate the story of Supreme Master Ching Hai.  CATV: And what about the poems really inspired you to create music specifically? Al Kasha: Well, the poems this year have much greater depth. All these composers worked on this piece because they saw the spiritual nature of it.  CATV: Right, that it had a deeper meaning. Al Kasha: A much deeper meaning. And the music came very quickly, it’s quicker than anything almost I’ve ever done because the words were so powerful. I always feel that words are richness and music is power. CATV: Right. So it’s almost as if the words had inspired you spiritually in addition to just kind of artistically and creatively. Al Kasha: Oh, absolutely, absolutely.

 

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