Ian Freebairn-Smith, the Grammy-winning composer, arranger and vocalist whose work shaped some of Hollywood’s most memorable film and television soundtracks, has died at 93.
A longtime Studio City resident, Freebairn-Smith died on Oct. 7, 2025, according to a statement from his family. He was best known for arranging “Evergreen,” the Oscar- and Grammy-winning theme song from the 1976 film A Star Is Born, performed by Barbra Streisand and written with Paul Williams.
Born in the Seattle area on March 4, 1932, Freebairn-Smith moved to Los Angeles with his family at age 2. By his twenties, he was working as a vocal arranger, creating close-harmony arrangements for The Hi-Lo’s before forming his own group, The Singers Incorporated, with Perry Botkin Jr., Sue Allen, Jimmy Bryant and George Tipton.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, Freebairn-Smith’s influence stretched across film, television and commercial music. His orchestrations were featured in “The Muppet Movie” and “A Star Is Born,” while his compositions appeared in television series such as “Magnum, P.I.,” “Airwolf” and “Fame.”
His voice could be heard in some of television’s most recognizable theme songs, including those for “Batman,” “Flipper” and “Gilligan’s Island.” He performed with the Ron Hicklin Singers on Robert Altman’s “MAS*H” theme, “Suicide Is Painless,” and lent his bass vocals to soundtracks including “Peter Pan” (2003), “The Matrix Revolutions” and “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (2008).
In addition to his work in film and television, Freebairn-Smith composed dozens of commercial jingles for Chevron, United Airlines and Pacific Bell, among others.
He is survived by his brother, Rod Freebairn-Smith; four daughters, Leslie, Alison, Jenifer and Vanessa; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. His wife, violinist Shari Zippert, died in 2024.
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