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Tag: Great American Songbook
10 Things You Should Know About Irving Berlin
Here are 10 things you should know about Irving Berlin, born 133 years ago today. The great Jerome Kern once said of Berlin, “Irving Berlin has no place in American music—he is American music,” and we couldn’t agree more.
We’re featuring Berlin’s music, as performed by a variety of artists, all day today on Cladrite Radio. Why not tune in now?
Remembering Harold Arlen
The great songsmith Harold Arlen was born 116 years ago today in Buffalo, New York. His father was a Jewish cantor.
In the late 1920s and early ’30s, Arlen as a band vocalist with Red Nichols, Joe Venuti and Leo Reisman, among others.
Arlen wrote for motion pictures, Broadway musicals and Cotton Club reviews, working with such esteemed lyricists as Ted Koehler, E. Y. “Yip” Harburg, Ira Gershwin, and Johnny Mercer.
We’re featuring recordings of Arlen’s compositions all day today on Cladrite Radio. Why not tune in now?
Happy 100th Birthday, Jo Stafford!
The wonderful Jo Stafford was born 100 years ago today in Coalinga, California, and left us just nine years ago (it seems like only yesterday).
She was blessed with one of the purest, loveliest voices of her era. She began performing at age 12 and continued to perform and record until 1975, after which she devoted herself to family and charitable work.
Happy birthday, Ms. Stafford, wherever you may be!
Happy Birthday, Johnny Mercer!
In his 66 years, lyricist, songwriter and singer Johnny Mercer, born 106 years ago today in Savannah, Georgia, managed an astonishing number of achievements.
Mercer founded Capitol Records. He wrote lyrics for more than fifteen hundred songs. He was nominated for 19 Oscars (he won four). The USPS placed his portrait on a stamp. The man was a true legend. Very few songwriters have more entries in the Great American Songbook than does Mercer.
The list of classic songs for which he wrote the words, the music or both is amazing: Lazy Bones, Hooray For Hollywood,” “Too Marvelous for Words,” “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby,” “And the Angels Sing,” “Fools Rush In,” “I Remember You,” “Skylark,” “That Old Black Magic,” “One for My Baby (and One More for the Road), “Laura,” “Autumn Leaves,” “Satin Doll,” “Moon River,” “Summer Wind,”—and that’s leaving out literally dozens of memorable songs.
Happy birthday, Mr. Mercer, wherever you may be.