Composer puts the beat into TV's top series

His ability to strike just the right tone for a show or a scene has made him a favorite of leading producers like Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme of "The West Wing."

"Snuffy writes film scores for television," is Sorkin's tribute to him.

A one-time rock guitarist without formal musical training, Walden sees composing for TV or movies as a matter of making an emotional connection with the material.

"When I look at film, something happens. And something happens when I play music to film. It really feels very natural to me," Walden said, taking a break from work on a "West Wing" episode.

He's also basking in the release of his first solo album since the 1970s, "music by ... W.G Snuffy Walden" (Windham Hill Records), with original songs as well as new versions of some of his TV themes.

The genial Walden, who performs his magic at a San Fernando Valley studio and at a nearly identical setup in his home, says the Emmy-winning theme song for NBC's White House drama was a bit accidental.

A version of it originally accompanied a scene in which President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen) prepares to deliver a national radio address from the Oval Office.

"Tommy (Schlamme) heard it and said 'That's our theme,"' Walden said of the melody that underscores the power of the presidency.

Asked if it includes echoes of composer Aaron Copland, Walden turns to a piano to illustrate its roots. He begins by playing another of his compositions, the elegant gospel theme for the 1991-93 drama "I'll Fly Away."

Then he produces a solo version of "The West Wing" theme, whistling along with it.

"It's a little bit of taps, a little bit of gospel and a little bit of Copland," the 50-year-old Walden explains, slowing the piece down to display its influences.

Walden's own roots are Southern, by way of Louisiana where he was born and Texas where he grew up. His colorful moniker is regional -- William Garrett Walden, like others in his family, was nicknamed "Snuffy" after Southern snuff maker Levi Garrett & Sons.

His name won him his first scoring assignment, he maintains. In 1987, after two decades of performing solo and touring with Chaka Khan, Donna Summer and other pop stars (including a break when he just "burned out," Walden said), he was considering a new gig.

The idea of providing guitar scores for TV was broached by talent agents familiar with his work.

"I knew I was never going to be Eric Clapton, and what I was doing wouldn't be pretty in my 60s -- playing Holiday Inns or some local beer joint," Walden said. "So I said sure, but I wasn't interested in television. Seemed like too much work."

Films proved difficult to crack (he's since done a handful), so Walden offered a piece to an upcoming series, "thirtysomething" and gained an audition.

"They weren't really interested. They just wanted to see what a guy named Snuffy looked like," he says.

When the producers finally gave his composition a fair hearing, they were hooked.

Walden's reputation was quickly established when his first work, for "thirtysomething" and "The Wonder Years," earned Emmy nominations in 1988. Among the shows he's written for are "My So-Called Life," "Ellen," "Providence," "Felicity," "The Drew Carey Show" and "Three Sisters" as well as a dozen TV movies.

His name appears in the credits when he's composed and produced the music; he oversees the work of musicians on other shows.

Walden can boast of customer loyalty. Sorkin and Schlamme worked with him on "Sports Night" before hiring him for "The West Wing," while the producers of "thirtysomething" chose him again for "Once and Again."

He decided against going the traditional route when it came to his new CD too, rejecting the TV theme roundup initially proposed by a record executive.

"I didn't want to do a K-Tel kind of record where it's just repackaging every theme I ever did," he said. "I tried to rewrite and re-record everything so it lived as a piece of music on its own."

While he may be enjoying the CD spotlight, Walden knows that his soundtracks aren't the star of a TV show or film.

"You always have to realize the job is not to write the best thing Stravinsky ever wrote, but to support the film. The whole job is in supporting the film and supporting the emotion of the film."<