Gordon Peter Getty is an American businessman, classical music composer, and billionaire heir. His colossal wealth stems from his father, J. Paul Getty (d. 1976), the founder of Getty Oil and once the world's richest man. Born in Los Angeles, California, in 1933, he is the fourth child of the oil tycoon.

Getty received a B.A. in music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and attended the University of San Francisco. His life was defined by a tension between his inherited wealth and his passion for opera and musical composition (he was always hearing music in his head). He reluctantly joined the oil business to please his father.

Gordon Getty's strategic defining moment came after his father's death in 1976, when he assumed sole control of the US$2 billion trust and became the executor of his father's will. In 1986, he successfully orchestrated the $10 billion sale of Getty Oil to Texaco, a deal that doubled the family's wealth and dismembered the trust, dividing the wealth equally among the family branches.

With his fortune secured, Getty rededicated his life to his true passion: classical music composition. He is a renowned composer and, with his late wife, Ann Gilbert, became a major underwriter of the San Francisco Opera and the Russian National Orchestra. His music has been performed globally, and his home became a center for hosting opera stars and political fundraisers. His legacy is tied to the successful monetization of the oil empire and his profound patronage of the arts.

Gordon Getty's social impact is massive and structural, tied to the Getty Oil sale, which released immense capital into the U.S. economy, and his structural patronage of the arts. His financial support for the San Francisco Opera and the Russian National Orchestra provides essential funding for the classical music world.

His career is a testament to the fact that immense inherited wealth can be successfully leveraged for independent artistic pursuit and high-impact cultural philanthropy, fulfilling the legacy of his art-advocate father.

Gordon Getty maintains the distinguished, intellectual style of a composer and patrician. His attire is consistently elegant and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects his blend of old-money stability and his profound commitment to the fine arts.

Residing in his yellow Italianate mansion in San Francisco, his luxury is the immense security and autonomy derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to musical composition, cultural patronage, and the quiet stewardship of his family's colossal inheritance.