Many of the best-loved and most successful musicals of the past four-and-a-half decades have sprung from the composing talent and, some say, genius of Andrew Lloyd Webber (born 1948). Whether you’ve seen his shows or not – “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Cats,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Evita,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” -- the music has pervaded our culture.

His first musical, “Jesus Christ Superstar” won Webber notoriety in 1971 when he was only 23 years old. It was loved by some and called “blasphemous” by others. A live performance of the show will be aired on NBC on Easter weekend and a documentary titled “Andrew Lloyd Webber: Tribute To A Superstar” is on NBC’s schedule for March 28.

The broadcast of the musical stars John Legend in the role of Jesus, Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdelene, and Alice Cooper (also a baby boomer, born 1948) as King Herrod.

If you miss the documentary or the TV performance, you can catch Webber’s new memoir “Unmasked,” which was published in early March. He has said about the project, “I have long resisted writing an autobiography. Autobiographies are by definition self-serving and mine is no exception…It is the result of my nearest and dearest, moaning at me ‘to tell your story your way.’ I meekly agreed, primarily to shut them up.”

According to people who’ve read the memoir, that same self-effacing tone continues throughout the book, which quotes from his shows’ negative reviews as well as accolades.

Webber has racked up a long list of successes. “The Phantom of the Opera” is the longest running Broadway musical of all time and the most financially successful Broadway show in history. Worldwide, the show has grossed 3.3 billion dollars and been performed for more than 80 million people. It's also the winner of 70 major theater awards. It's a true classic and if you haven't been lucky enough to see a Broadway show in your lifetime, this would definitely be a contender.

Along with his ability to attract audiences, he’s known for the diversity of his themes and the innovations he brings to the theater. One of his shows, “Starlight Express,” is performed on roller skates. Webber was inspired by a trip on the Valley Railroad in New England with his children. Initially he wrote a few songs for a proposed cartoon about trains, which never came to fruition. The idea stuck with him and eventually "Starlight Express" came to life.

He won the 1996 Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song for ‘You Must Love Me” from Evita,” and received two more Oscar nominations. He also has won seven Tonys and three Grammys, including his 1986 Grammy Award for “Requiem” in the category of best classical composition.