New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Deetown Entertainment) - It's a week of double celebration for Manhattan-based music writer and producer Ali Dee Theodore with the release of "Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel" on DVD, which he, along with his team wrote, arranged, performed and produced just twenty four hours after being named as one of "New York's Rising Stars" in Crain's New York Business's prestigious "40 Under 40" issue.
Theodore, who won an American Music Award in 2008 for Alvin and the Chipmunks, is on a short list of music makers Hollywood turns to when they need the best. Theodore has created music for a slew of hit movies, including Transformers, What Happens In Vegas, Speed Racer, Ghost Rider, Iron Man, Hannah Montana The Movie, Daredevil, Sex and the City 1 & 2, Night at the Museum 1 & 2, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. But it's the Chipmunks' music that has proved to be one of his biggest winners to date.
The first Alvin and the Chipmunks CD spent 48 weeks on Billboard's Top 200 album chart, peaking at No 5, certifying Platinum and selling a whopping 1.5 million CDs. Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel CD has already gone gold and remains at No 2 on this week's Billboard Soundtrack chart. As Executive Music Producer, Theodore and Deetown Entertainment produced and performed all the music on both CDs as well as wrote the original songs included in the films and Soundtracks.
"I feel proud and honored to be in the position to be creating music that is having an impact on pop culture. It seems strange that our company is made up of music producers, writers and performers, and yet our focus is on Hollywood - we make records for Hollywood - not the traditional route for the music industry. It's funny and very, very exciting," says Theodore.
Twenty-four hours after celebrating the release of the "Squeakquel," Crain's New York Business announced that Theodore was one among a select group of New York business people to be honored in this year's prestigious "40 Under 40" issue.
"Let's be honest, New York City is a tough place to make it - especially in the music industry. So to be honored by the New York business community like this, to be recognized in a city where the bar for talent is so high is something I can't even put into words. I'm over the moon," chimes Theodore.
Showbiz is in Ali Dee Theodore's blood. Son of choreographer Lee Theodore and nephew of Hollywood singer/dancer Cyd Charisse, Theodore has produced and written songs for such premiere artists as Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Bros., Mary J Blige, Natalie Imbruglia, Shakira, M.O.P., Rev Run (from RUN DMC), Fabolous, Jadakiss, Kool G Rap, Silkk The Shocker, Busta Rhymes, Natasha Bedingfield, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Keke Palmer, Baby Cham, and Mya.