What Is Peter Buffett's Musical Career and Discography?

Updated

Peter Buffett is an American musician and composer whose professional career began in the early 1980s in San Francisco, where he recorded and produced albums for local talent and composed for commercials. His recording career took shape in 1987 with the release of his first album, The Waiting, on Narada Productions, followed by three more records with Narada over the next several years. Alongside his solo work, he scored the Fire Dance scene in the film Dances With Wolves and later composed music for the CBS eight-hour mini-series 500 Nations—work that led to albums on Epic and Hollywood Records.

Career Timeline

Period Milestone
Early 1980s Begins professional musical career in San Francisco; records and produces albums for local talent; composes for commercials
1987 Releases debut album The Waiting with Narada Productions
Following years Releases three more records with Narada
— Scores the Fire Dance scene in Dances With Wolves
— Scores the CBS eight-hour mini-series 500 Nations; leads to albums on Epic and Hollywood Records
2004 Theatrical show Spirit – The Seventh Fire premieres on the National Mall as part of the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian
2010 Publishes book Life Is What You Make It; takes his Concert and Conversation show on the road

Key Works and Their Context

Albums

  • The Waiting (1987, Narada Productions) — his first album
  • Three additional records with Narada
  • Albums released through Epic and Hollywood Records, stemming from his 500 Nations work

Film and Television Scoring

  • Dances With Wolves — Fire Dance scene
  • 500 Nations — CBS eight-hour mini-series

Theatrical and Live Performance

  • Spirit – The Seventh Fire (2004) — premiered on the National Mall for the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian
  • Concert and Conversation tour (from 2010) — performed with cellist Michael Kott in venues ranging from small-town Nebraska to the Forbidden City in Beijing

Writing and Its Influence on His Music

In 2010, Buffett published Life Is What You Make It, which was translated into 15 languages. After writing the Op-Ed "The Charitable Industrial Complex" in The New York Times, he began writing essays in addition to songs. His exposure to a wider world through the work of the NoVo Foundation and his time on the road also began to affect his music.

What This Means for Listeners

If you want to explore Buffett's music, the natural starting points are The Waiting and his Narada-era records for his early instrumental style, the Epic and Hollywood Records albums for his 500 Nations material, and his later work for music shaped by his writing and philanthropic travels. His career spans commercial composition, film and television scoring, theatrical production, and touring performance—so the entry point depends on which of those threads interests you most.