Academy-award winner composer and pianist Alan Menken was honored with the dedication of a star on the Walk of Fame at a ceremony held on Wednesday, two weeks before the release of his latest production.

The famous musical theater and film composer received the 2,422nd star, honoring a career which has seen him win eight Oscars and 10 Grammys for his work on such films as "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast,'" "Aladdin" and "Pocahontas."

Born in New York City on July 22, 1949, Menken developed an interest in music when he was young, studying piano and violin. After graduation from New York University, he attended the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop and performed frequently in local clubs and worked as a composer of jingles and songs and as an accompanist.

Althought he has composed a number of sucessful Off-Broadway productions, he was better known for his work over the past two decades with Walt Disney Pictures scoring numerous films including "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin" and "Pocahontas," and four Oscars for best song, "Under the Sea" from "The Little Mermaid,""A Whole New World" from "Aladdin," "Colors of the Wind" from "Pocahontas" and "Beauty and the Beast."

Walt Disney Pictures'animated take on the story of Rapunzel, "Tangled," which Menken wrote the original music for, is scheduled to release on Nov.24.

Menken is second only to composer and conductor Alfred Newman and Walt Disney for the most Oscars won by an individual, tied with late costume designer Edith Head. He currently holds the record for the most wins for a living person, and was named Disney Legend in 2001.

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