John Debney

John Cardon Debney (born August 18, 1956) is an American composer, conductor and musician. He received an Academy Award nomination for the music for Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" (2004). He is also known for writing the music for "Cutthroat Island" (1995).
Life and career.
Debney was born in Glendale, California to Louis Debney and Edith Manhunt. His father is of English, French-Canadian, German, Greek, Irish, Northern Irish (Scotch-Irish) and Welsh descent and His mother is of Cherokee Native American and Russian Jewish descent.
Influences.
Debney stated composers like Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, Danny Elfman, Bernard Herrmann, John Williams, Maurice Jarre, Lalo Schifrin, John Barry, Duke Ellington, Alan Silvestri, Henry Mancini, Howard Shore, Richard Strauss and Carter Burwell as influences.