David Howard Hegarty (born March 1, 1945, in Mount Clemens, Michigan) is an American organist and composer.

"[5] Hegarty taught himself how to play the organ, and by the time he reached high school he had a job as a church organist.

In 1972 Hegarty entered the doctoral program in music at the University of Cincinnati where he studied organ with Wayne Fisher, however as he was nearing the completion of his doctoral studies he was lured away by the Lorenz Publishing Company with an offer of a full-time position as a composer and Editor of The Sacred Organ Journal.

[3] Hegarty joined the Lorenz Publishing Company in 1974, and began a prolific period of composing for the organ.

He became a frequent contributor to Sheet Music Magazine with arrangements for organ of such popular songs as The Way You Look Tonight, Who's Sorry Now, and In the Mood.

[15] This piece has been performed widely in Europe and the United States, and, in October 2018, broadcast on the Pipedreams program of American Public Media.

Since then I don't know how many thousands of times I have played it, but it just seems to capture the essence of San Francisco and this Theatre and I never tire of it.

In addition to his work at the Castro, Hegarty was named a staff organist at Palo Alto's Stanford Theatre in 1998, and in the same year became a regular recitalist at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, presenting monthly pops concerts on the E.M. Skinner Organ.

During his concert tours throughout the United States, Hegarty was particularly impressed by the Harrah Symphonic Organ in Hurricane, West Virginia.

[42] In 2009 he was asked by The Film Music Society to write a remembrance of Angela Morley which was published in their quarterly journal, "The Cue Sheet.

"[40] Hegarty has released four CD's: Other organists who have recorded Hegarty's original compositions and arrangements include Kenrick S. Mervine (Sabbath Suite, White Christmas, Ave Maria: A Symphonic Suite for Organ) and Steven Frank (Aria Pathétique.

"[46] In 2013 Hegarty was so recognized "for the indelible mark he has made on the Bay Area’s vital and progressive filmmaking culture.