Peter Melnick Responds to 2023 Attack on Israel with ‘Bring Them Home’

Debut single from third generation composer out now

June 19, 2026 Ron Hart 0 Comments 2026, Bring Them Home, Daniel Melnick, Israel, Peter Melnick, Richard Rodgers

Acclaimed film and television composer and songwriter Peter Melnick steps out of his comfort zone with the release of his debut single “Bring Them Home.”

Written by Melnick, who is the son of legendary film producer Danny Melnick and grandson of iconic American composer Richard Rodgers, the song is a solemn, piano-based response to the horrific attack Israel endured on Oct. 7, 2023 when Hezbollah warlords raided and massacred a kibbutz located near the Gaza Strip, taking several hostages and leaving 1,200 dead in the wake of their savagery.

Melnick wrote the song on the morning of a vigil for the victims in Santa Barbara, California, performing it in public later that evening. Produced by Joseph E-Shine (aka Yossi Mizrahi) and featuring vocals from Michael Harpaz, “Bring Them Home” serves as a plea for human kindness in the face of unspeakable terror. It serves as a fitting precursor to a bold new project that aims to bring Melnick’s songwriting prowess front and center after years in the background.

Melnick has built an acclaimed career as a film and television composer, contributing scores to more than three dozen productions. His credits include the Steve Martin classic L.A. Story, The Only Thrill starring Diane Keaton and Sam Shepard, Horton Foote’s Convicts featuring Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones and Farce of the Penguins directed by Bob Saget. His television work includes the PBS documentary Cinema’s Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood, Indictment: The McMartin Trial, Grand Avenue and Lily Dale.

Peter Melnick “Bring Them Home,” self-released 2026

A Drama Desk-nominated musical theater composer, Melnick is currently adapting Snow in August for Broadway alongside lyricist Mindi Dickstein and librettist Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.

Melnick comes from an extraordinary artistic lineage. His father, Daniel Melnick, produced iconic films including Straw Dogs, All That Jazz, Altered States and Footloose, along with the long-running sitcom Get Smart. His grandfather was legendary composer Richard Rodgers, whose work helped define the American Songbook through classics such as “Blue Moon,” “My Funny Valentine,” and “My Favorite Things,” as well as landmark musicals including The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, Carousel, The King and I and South Pacific.

After years spent helping shape the creative visions of others, Melnick is now turning inward with a body of work rooted in compassion, love, resilience, and hope. Collaborating closely with Joseph E-Shine — whose credits include work with Barns Courtney, Ninet Tayeb, Steven Wilson, and Infected Mushroom — Melnick has assembled an impressive collective of musicians and vocalists to bring these songs to life.

Listen to “Bring Them Home” below.