Discover the Best Books Written by Peter Buffett

Peter Andrew Buffett (born May 4, 1958) is an American musician, composer, author, and philanthropist. With a career that spans more than 30 years, Buffett is a Regional Emmy Award winner, New York Times best-selling author, and co-chair of the NoVo Foundation. He is the youngest son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett. Buffett began his musical career early in the 1980s in San Francisco, California. 

There, he recorded and produced albums for local talent. He also was hired by ad agencies to compose commercials and logos - including MTV and CNN, both of which were new to cable television at the time. Narada Productions, a new-age music recording company, signed Buffett to a recording contract. In 1987, Buffett debuted with Narada, releasing an album entitled The Waiting. 

His second album, One by One, was inspired by Evan S. Connell's book "Son of the Morning Star". In 1989, Buffett moved to Milwaukee, home of Narada Productions and closer to his childhood home in Omaha, Nebraska. Buffett would release two more albums with Narada: Lost Frontier and Yonnondio. While with Narada, Buffett had his first significant success scoring the "Fire Dance" scene in the film Dances with Wolves. 

The film score, composed by John Barry, won the Academy Award for Best Original Score. Barry would later invite Buffett to collaborate with him again, this time at the Abbey Road Studios in London. Buffett contributed the American Indian soundscapes to the film as well as composed two songs for the soundtrack of The Scarlet Letter.

After the release of Yonnondio, Buffett signed with Epic Records. In 1994, he released his soundtrack for the CBS miniseries 500 Nations, which was produced by Kevin Costner. Buffett also met Chief Hawk Pop while scoring the series. Peter, along with cellist Michael Kott, is currently touring around the world in support of his Life Is What You Make It: A Concert & Conversation with Peter Buffett performance. 

Buffett continues to visit numerous university campuses, community foundations, and other organizations using his own life story and experiences as an illustration. He discusses how important it is for each person to define his or her own path, regardless of wealth or background. He ultimately conveys that it’s one’s values — and what we are able to give back to society — that shape and define us as individuals.

In May 2010, his book, Life Was What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment, was published with Random House/Crown, using his, Publishing. The book was praised by Ted Turner, former President Bill Clinton, Bill and Melinda Gates, and Gloria Steinem, among others. It has sold over half a million copies worldwide, peaking at number four on The New York Times Best Sellers List. It has been available in over fifteen languages. Buffett appeared on NPR, The Today Show, and CBS Sunday Morning with his father to discuss the book.

In 2013, Buffett began contributing essays to the Huffington Post Impact blog. During the 1980s, Buffett was the sound engineer on three albums by Pauline Anna Strom, which included Plot Zero. Peter Buffett was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and is the youngest child of investor Warren Buffett and Susan Thompson Buffett. He has two siblings: sister Susie and brother Howard. Buffett graduated from Omaha Central High School and attended Stanford University.

He was married to his first wife, Mary Buffett, for 12 years before they divorced in 1993. Mary's twin daughters from a previous relationship, Erica and Nicole, were four years old at the time of their wedding. Subsequently, Peter Buffett legally adopted the girls. He married Jennifer Buffett in June 1996.