Newsletter VOLUME 40, NUMBER 2 Formerly New York Sheet Music Society www.APSSinc.org NOVEMBER 2018 Benedetto, Crocetti, Farinola, Guaragna, Leonardo, Sinatra & Vitaliano Alex Leonard Salutes Harry Warren & Italian-American Singers By Jerry Osterberg s g long career, he worked for n i Salvatore Antonio was l l i every one of the major B born in the City of Brooklyn e studios, starting with Warner s to Antonio and Rachel o R Brothers and ending with DeLuca Guaragna y b Paramount. At Warner he o on December 24, 1893. t o wrote the music for the h It had been a difficult year P Busby Berkeley blockbuster for the residents of Brooklyn 42 nd Street, one of 18 films due to one of the worst he made with the prolific hurricanes in history. Just choreographer. months before, the City had Warren was nominated been devastated, and families eleven times for an Academy were finding it hard to get Award; he won three for the into the Christmas spirit. songs “Lullaby of Fortunately, as APSS Broadway,” “You’ll Never members gathered for the Know,” and “On the opening of the 2018-2019 Atchison, Topeka and the season on October 13, there Santa Fe.” Although he wasn’t a hurricane in sight, collaborated with a-number and everyone was in a festive of lyricists, his most frequent mood. In presenting his A Suitcase, was with us in accompanied himself partners were Al Dubin and program dedicated to the life advance of her show later in beginning with “This Heart Mack Gordon with whom he and music of Harry Warren the month at the Triad of Mine,” first introduced by produced “Chattanooga (aka Salvatore Antonio Theater. Truth be told, Mills Fred Astaire, and later Choo Choo,” the first gold Guaragna), Alex Leonard is ready to perform anywhere recorded by Louis Prima. A record. Having begun to pointed out that many of the at any time and does so in song performed by several compose in 1918 while in the best-known popular songs of public spaces, much to the Italian-American singers, US Navy, he had his first the past century were delight of passersby, “Innamorata,” was next up, successful tune in 1922, with performed by a succession of although indoor parties are with Leonard adding his “Rose of the Rio Grande.” great Italian-American especially favored. In a full rendition to an impressive During the radio era, 21 singers. No stranger to and melodious operatic collection which includes of his songs reached #1 on APSS, the ever-engaging voice, she performed “O Mio Dean Martin, Jimmy Roselli, Your Hit Parade. ASCAP Leonard, had obviously done Babbino Caro” from Jerry Vale, and Frank listed “I Only Have Eyes for his homework. The well- Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Sinatra. Harry Warren served You” as one of the top 25 honed program produced the “Over the Rainbow” from up many romantic ballads for most performed songs of all kind of enthusiastic response The Wizard of Oz, and “I the crooners, tunes such as “I time, including a quite from the audience for which Could Have Danced All Only Have Eyes for You,” successful version by The every performer hopes. Night,” sung by Julie “The More I See You,” Flamingos in the late 1950’s. Preceding his Andrews in the musical My “You’ll Never Know,” and Among the songs Alex appearance was a wonderful Fair Lady, and Marni Nixon “At Last.” Leonard highlighted were “I vocalist from Manchester, (batting for Audrey Hepburn) A good number of them Love My Baby,” the “Rose England, Nicola Mills. An in the film version. emanated from the more than Tattoo” (recorded by Perry extraordinary singer, who Alex Leonard both 300 films for which Warren Como), “I Found a Million bills herself as A Soprano & narrated the program and composed. Indeed, during his Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY november, 2018 President’s Message... American Popular Linda Amiel Burns, President Song Society President: What a great way to start off our 2018-2019 season of the American Linda Amiel Burns Popular Song Society with Alex Leonard’s incredible program on the Vice Presidents: songs of the legendary composer, Harry Warren. Joan Adams The material was marvelously well written and excellently performed; I loved his choice Sandi Durell of songs and all of the interesting information that was included. We cannot thank Alex Treasurer & Membership: enough for performing his wonderful show for us. You can read all about it as the lead story Glen Charlow in this issue of the Newsletter. Secretary: Also thanks to Nicola Mills , our pre-show opera singer (pictured below), who delighted Marilyn Lester our audience with her glorious voice and charming story. Many APSS members attended her Board Of Directors: wonderful solo show at The Triad to support Nicola who impressed so many of us. Elliott Ames Our November Program is one not to be missed! Amy Asch, our guest speaker, will tell Bill Boggs us about her beautifully researched book “The Complete Lyrics of Alan Jay Lerner” as we Glen Charlow Sandi Durell celebrate his centennial year. There will be some books available for purchase, and Amy Will Friedwald will autograph them for you. I was thrilled when this treasure was delivered to my door Michael Lavine Marilyn Lester before the summer, and immediately asked Amy to do a program for us. If this is not Sandy Marrone enough......we have the incredible KT Sullivan & Mark Nadler performing selections from Jerry Osterberg Andrew Poretz their remarkable show, “Almost Like Being in Love” which was recently seen at the new Judy Stewart Green Room 42. There cannot be two more consummate stars in the cabaret world than the Tom Toce brilliant singer KT (also the Artistic Director of the Mabel Mercer Foundation) and Membership Mailing Address: entertainer Mark, who never fails to wow audiences with his piano playing, singing, and American Popular Song Society engaging personality (and he even tap dances, too!). How fortunate we all are that they P.O. Box 5856 will be singing Lerner songs for us - I am thrilled that they agreed to do this for us! Pikesville, MD 21282 Our enthusiastic Board of Directors has a terrific year planned. You can find out who [email protected] they are by looking at the Masthead of our Newsletter. We want to announce our newest (212) 315-3500 (Linda A. Burns) Board member, who many of you know. We are confident that he will help us promote N E W S L E T T E R APSS through social media. Welcome, Andrew Poretz! Editor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg I will be seeing you on November 10th and [email protected] Contributing Editor: Marilyn Lester I am sure you will bring guests, get friends to [email protected] join, and continue to spread the word about our Associate Editor: Joan Adams special organization which works to keeps great [email protected] Graphic Designer: Glen Charlow music alive. Nicola Mills [email protected] Best wishes, or s [email protected] g n i l l i B e Linda s o R y b p.s. Due to an increase in expenses, we had o t to raise the membership dues only 5.00. So a o h single yearly membership is now 60. and couples P are 80. We make every effort to keep these fees low. Of course if you want to join at the Angel, Patron or Benefactor levels, that's always Harvey Spizz and his wife with another option of membership. Linda Amiel Burns (top rt) and Sandi Durell (bottom rt) MEETING LOCATION: Local 802 – Musicians’ Hall 322 West 48th Street. Program: 1:45 – 3:30PM. Come early to look thru Sheet Music & CD’s & stuff, all FREE. NOVEMBER, 2018 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3 Tony Bennett as a demo, tunes were an accompaniment once again that the members Harry Warren... winning him a to a favorite of APSS can carry a tune Continued from page 1 contract with movie and anywhere. Dollar Baby” (Bing Crosby Columbia reinforced over Our thanks to Alex hit), “An Affair to Records. and over by the Leonard for bringing his Remember” (last to receive an So much of radio, phonograph entertaining program to our Academy Award nomination), Harry Warren’s records, and attention. Clearly, there are “At Last” (Al Martino), catalog consists of Tony Bennett dances. other composers and lyricists “There Will Never Be what one might After who deserve similar Another You” (Nat King call “the music of our lives,” mentioning other pop treatment. The GASB cannon Cole), “We’re in the Money,” representing certain times, vocalists of Italian descent is vast, and we need more “You Must Have Been a both good and bad, much like such as Carol Lawrence, folks like Alex to dust off the Beautiful Baby” (a surprise a scent will take one to the Connie Francis, Carlo Botti, boxes and remind us about hit by Bobby Darin, also further reaches of memory. and Russ Columbo, Leonard what else is in there. Although one of the greatest introduced one of the most songwriters of his generation, irresistible of Warren’s list of he was known to complain hits, “That’s Amore,” from the about not receiving enough Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis recognition; he often joked film The Caddy and that even his own friends performed by Martin. As if Bobby Darin didn’t know who he was. demonstrating how irresistible More importantly, everyone the song really is, Leonard Caterina Valenti Italian), and “Boulevard of knew his songs, many by conducted the audience in a Broken Dreams,” recorded by heart.