Gary Portnoy (born June 8, 1956) is an American musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known for co-writing and performing the main theme song of the NBC sitcom ''

Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American television sitcom, created by Glen and Les Charles, Glen Charles & Les Charles and James Burrows, that aired on NBC for eleven seasons from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/C ...

'', " Where Everybody Knows Your Name".

Career

In the early 1980s, Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo set out to write a theme for ''Cheers''. After their first two attempts were rejected, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" was selected.Gary Portnoy's official website
/ref> Prior to that, Portnoy's songs had been recorded by various artists, including

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily as a country music, country musician. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton's debut album ...

's " Say Goodnight" (co-written by Susan Sheridan) and Air Supply's " I'll Never Get Enough of You" (co-written by Jeanne Napoli and Judy Quay). He also recorded and released a self-titled album in 1980 for

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

. Portnoy also wrote several songs for the NBC television series '' Fame'', including the Emmy-nominated track for Best Original Song, "I Still Believe In Me" (co-written by Susan Sheridan) as well as "It's Gonna Be a Long Night" (co-written by Estelle Levitt). Both songs were featured on the 1982 album, '' The Kids from "Fame"''. Portnoy also received an Emmy nomination for the ''Cheers'' theme, as well as six consecutive ASCAP awards during the 1980s for the Most Performed Television Themes of the year. He also wrote (with Hart Angelo) the theme songs for the television programs ''

Punky Brewster ''Punky Brewster'' is an American Situation comedy, sitcom television series about a young girl (Soleil Moon Frye) being raised by a foster parent (George Gaynes) in Chicago. The show ran on NBC from September 16, 1984, to March 9, 1986, and ag ...

'' and ''

Mr. Belvedere ''Mr. Belvedere'' is an American sitcom that originally broadcasting, aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from March 15, 1985 until its cancellation (television), cancellation following the 107th episodic television, episode on December ...

'', performing the former himself, while Leon Redbone performed the latter. In 2003, after a hiatus from the music business during the 1990s, Portnoy released the 12-track album ''Keeper'', which includes the full-length version of "Where Everybody Knows Your Name". In 2007, he followed with the release of the autobiographical 12-track album, ''Destiny'', which contains a full-length version of the theme song for ''

'' (whose original version was sung by Leon Redbone). In 2010, Portnoy released the 12-track album, ''Songs Along The Way'', which includes eleven newly penned compositions as well as the demo version of the ''Cheers'' theme song. In 2013, Portnoy's Argentum Records released ''Gary Portnoy's Original Cheers Theme'' across all digital platforms. It includes Portnoy and Hart Angelo’s three initial attempts at composing the theme as well as their songwriting demo and subsequent full-length recording of " Where Everybody Knows Your Name". 2017 saw the release of ''Pushing Sixty'', Portnoy’s fifth full-length CD.

Discography

Albums

*''Gary Portnoy'' (1980, Columbia Records) *''Keeper'' (2003, Argentum Records) *''Destiny'' (2007, Argentum Records) *''Songs Along The Way'' (2010, Argentum Records) *''Gary Portnoy's Original Cheers Theme'' EP (2013, Argentum Records) *''Pushing Sixty'' (2017, Argentum Records)

Songs recorded by other artists (partial list)

*"When I'm Loving You" (co-written by Paul Vance) :Recorded by Gail Wynters for her 1977 RCA album, ''Let The Lady Sing'' *"Shee Moe Foe" (co-written by Irwin Levine) :Recorded by Mac Davis for his 1978 Columbia album, ''Fantasy'' *" I'll Never Get Enough of You" (co-written by Jeanne Napoli and Judy Quay) :Recorded by

Samantha Sang Cheryl Lau Sang (born 5 August 1951), known professionally as Samantha Sang, is an Australian singer. She had an earlier career as a teenage singer under the stage name Cheryl Gray, before adopting the stage name she is more widely known as in ...

for her 1979 Private Stock album, ''From Dance To Love'' :Recorded by Air Supply for their 1981 Arista album, ''

The One that You Love "The One That You Love" is a song by British-Australian soft rock duo Air Supply, released as a single from their sixth studio album of the same name. It was written by member Graham Russell. The song reached No. 1 in the United States, toppin ...

'' *"On The Run" (co-written by Jeanne Napoli) :Recorded by

Cheryl Ladd Cheryl Ladd (born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor; July 12, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and author best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the ABC television series '' Charlie's Angels'', whose cast she joined in its second season in 1977 ...

for her 1979 Capitol album, ''Dance Forever'' *"Say Goodnight" (co-written by Susan Sheridan) :Recorded by Dolly Parton for her 1980 RCA album, '' Dolly, Dolly, Dolly'' *"Late Night Confession" (co-written by Juli Davidson) :Recorded by

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American country musician and actor. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour'' on CBS television from ...

for his 1980 Capitol album, ''Something Bout You Baby I Like'' *"Move A Little Closer" (co-written by Jeanne Napoli) :Recorded by Keith Barrow for his 1980 Capitol album, ''Just As I Am'' *"When the Night Ends" (co-written by Ruth Rosen Greenwood) :Recorded by Engelbert Humperdinck for his 1981 Columbia album, ''Don't You Love Me Anymore'' *"Say Goodnight" (co-written by Susan Sheridan) :Recorded by Engelbert Humperdinck for his 1981 Columbia album, ''Don't You Love Me Anymore'' *"I Still Believe In Me" (co-written by Susan Sheridan) :Recorded by Debbie Allen and Erica Gimpel as featured on the 1982 RCA album, ''The Kids From "Fame"'' *"It's Gonna Be a Long Night" (co-written by Estelle Levitt) :Recorded by Lori Singer as featured on the 1982 RCA album, ''The Kids From "Fame"'' *"I Was Only Trying To Help" (co-written by Ruth Rosen Greenwood) :Recorded by Valerie Landsburg as featured on the 1982 RCA album, ''The Kids From "Fame" Again'' *"Face To Face" (co-written by Judy Hart Angelo) :Recorded by Valerie Landsburg as featured on the 1983 RCA album, ''The Kids From "Fame" Sing For You'' *"Come to Me Tonight" (co-written by Susan Sheridan) :Recorded by Roberto Carlos for his 1990 Columbia album, ''From Brazil With Love'' *"Mr. Belvedere Theme" (co-written by Judy Hart Angelo) :Recorded by Leon Redbone as featured on the 1996 TVT album, ''Television's Greatest Hits Volume 6'' *"This Is Forever" (co-written by Gloria Nissenson and Carol Ann Brown) :Recorded by Samantha King for her 2002 SKMG album, ''This Is Forever'' *"The Horse" (co-written by Gloria Nissenson and Matt Rossi) :Recorded by Mammoth Jack for their 2002 Broken Bow album, ''Mammoth Jack'' *"I Miss Us" (co-written by Gloria Nissenson) :Recorded by Sarah Gayle Taylor for her 2008 Lure album, ''Texas Sweetheart''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Portnoy, Gary 1956 births Living people People from Long Island American male singer-songwriters