VOLUME 42, NUMBER 6 Formerly Sheet Music Society www.APSSinc.org MARCH 2021

indignities and racism. The Remarkable Nat Cole was also very close to Jack Through the All-Encompassing Lens Benny and . He was embraced by three presidents: Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy and Lyndon By Marilyn Lester of Will Friedwald Johnson. He sang at Kennedy’s inaugural Will Friedwald were in a court of clubs to filling concert halls, and gala, which was produced by Sinatra, law pleading a case for the immense ultimately, stadiums. At a late who made sure to include three other greatness of Nat King Cole, he’d win a benefit for the YMCA, he filled people of color: , Harry unanimous “yes” verdict Belafonte and Mahalia hands down. In his February Jackson. Later, in Los 12 presentation, Straighten Up Angeles, Kennedy surprised and Fly Right: The Life And Cole by spontaneously Music of Nat King Cole, showing up at his house for Friedwald offered a tight and the coming-out cotillion of cogent presentation, filled one of his daughters. “It was a with visual goodies, including huge statement,” observed photos from the Cole Family’s Friedwald. personal collection. Nat Cole In matters of racial is a subject he clearly loves discrimination Cole and admires, and, who, he maintained his composure and says, is his favorite performer. his dignity. In his first film His recently released book Nat King Cole with Sombrero appearance, in 1943, in which about Cole, upon which this he sang and played piano, he program was based, was one he’d wanted the with a remarkable was made to appear dressed as a railroad to write for many years. It was a labor of 5,000 people. By 1959 he was the top porter. During this time Blacks were cast love. “Nat brought joy to the world and earning attraction at the Sands Hotel in in white films in subordinate roles, to me,” Friedwald said. “I feel like I owe Las Vegas. So, is it any wonder that King reflected in their costuming. For Cole, it to him.” Cole was born on March 17, Cole was so tremendously popular? The that turn was the first and last. In 1919 and died on February 15, 1965, subsequent film appearance he was so the book was almost in sync with dressed in a tuxedo or other form of his centenary, and the program with “white apparel.” In 1948, Cole his death date. purchased a home (through a proxy) Friedwald has no doubt opened in the all-white Hancock Park section up a lot of eyes to Cole’s greatness. I of ; the transaction was certainly had no idea of the legal and aboveboard. Some residents immensity of it. Pianist-singer- were glad to welcome the Cole songwriter Cole jam-packed quite a family, but others not so much. No bit into his 45 short years on Earth. In crosses burned on his lawn, but other Friedwald’s opinion, Cole, with Ella indignities were perpetrated. He Fitzgerald and , had the stood his ground. Cole’s career greatest influence on how the Great Nat King Cole with Frank Sinatra suffered the indignity of racism at American Songbook was presented several turns. In Birmingham, and sung. In the , Cole sold more charismatic singer had a beautiful smile, Alabama in the early 1950, members of records than anyone, even Sinatra, with a winning personality and was a natural an ultra-right white supremacy group, the whom he was close. He was the first on the stage. He was loved and White Citizens Council, breached the performing artist to move from night beloved—triumphing over Jim Crow Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY MARCH, 2021 American President’s Message... Popular Song Linda Amiel Burns, President Society President: Linda Amiel Burns Warm Greetings to our APSS Members, Family, (212) 315-3500 Friends and Fans: Vice Presidents: Joan Adams It is wonderful that the American Popular Song Society is Sandi Durell thriving and continuing through this pandemic. Our Zoom meetings Treasurer & Membership: continue to be valuable, lively, and well-attended. Glen Charlow Of course, we all hope eventually to resume our live programs, Secretary: but I feel that this unusual season has been very successful, and I Marilyn Lester am grateful that we are still up and running. Board Of Directors: Many thanks to the one and only Will Friedwald for his Elliott Ames Danny Bacher remarkable program on Nat King Cole last month. I hadn’t realized Bill Boggs how much this great singer/musician accomplished in his short life Will Friedwald Michael Lavine and this program made me an even bigger fan. If you missed it, Sandy Marrone please enjoy reading the lead story in this month’s issue. You will Jerry Osterberg Andrew Poretz also find information on how to purchase Will’s terrific book. Judy Stewart We are all eagerly looking forward to Nancy McGraw’s award- Tom Toce winning presentation on the great on Saturday, Mark William th March 13 from 12:00-2:00. The Zoom link is in this Newsletter N E W S L E T T E R mailing. I don’t want you to miss this remarkable afternoon, as I Editor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg [email protected] know it will be as special as Nancy herself is. She has assembled a Contributing Editor: Marilyn Lester talented cast, and could there be anything better than spending [email protected] Associate Editor: Joan Adams time listening to the Magic of Mercer? [email protected] I hope that you are all well Graphic Designer: Glen Charlow [email protected] while getting through these Photographer: Rose Billings trying times. Happily, Winter [email protected] is almost over and Spring is Membership Mailing Address: on its way. American Popular Song Society Sending good wishes, and P.O. Box 5856 looking forward to seeing you Pikesville, MD 21282 Why is that the mailing address? on March 13th. Because the treasurer lives in Baltimore, Maryland. [email protected] Linda This email address goes to Glen Charlow Memberships can Linda Amiel Burns, President be paid with: The American Popular Song Society Condolences to Linda on the passing of her cousin Joseph Robert Amiel ❤ pictured here (l) with Linda and her brother Joseph J. Amiel (r).

MEETING LOCATION: Our programs during the inside the via Paypal 2020 pandemic are being (570 10th Ave. 4th fl) at www.APSSinc.org brought to you by... 11:00am - 2:00pm Come early to look thruwww.zoom.us Sheet Music & CD’s & stuff, all FREE. MARCH, 2021 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3 stage and physically assaulted him. He was given a in the 1956-57 television season. It was hugely popular, but beyond the regional sponsor, Rheingold Beer, no national sponsor would take the show on. It was cancelled, to which Cole famously responded, “I guess Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.” Cole grew up in Chicago within a large, musical family. He was essentially self-taught as both a pianist (he was a devotee of Earl “Fatha” Hines) and vocalist. In his early career, it was that was his medium. He led a dubbed the “Royal Dukes” and then created what was at the time an innovation in jazz—the small group format. His innovative trio featured player Oscar Moore and bassist Wesley . As the King Cole Trio, Cole and Family Go Latin they played night clubs, scoring a hit in 1940 with “Sweet Lorraine.” Cole began said, “I could do a whole program.” including Sinatra. With guidance from to penetrate the white record market at Another back-story to a Nat Cole hit is his manager and close friend, Carlos this time, and went on to have a hit per that of 1949’s “Mona Lisa.” The Castell (who was originally from the year during the 40s. In 1946 “For recording was arranged by a then Dominican Republic), Cole began to Sentimental Reasons” gave him the unknown . Cole brought make records in Spanish and Portuguese, distinction of being the first Black artist him back to handle more music, Riddle’s successfully penetrating the large to have a hit on the mainstream (white) career took off and “the rest is history.” international Latin market. Ever eager to charts. In 1949, Cole also essentially disbanded broaden his range, particularly with the A highlight of the presentation was a the trio, now working with Latin British invasion of music and a shift in very rare clip from the “We the People” percussion and achieving solo billing as popular tastes, Cole entered the Country radio show in 1948, of Cole with the an independent artist. music scene from 1962-1964. But by creator of “,” eden ahbez In the 1950s, Cole began turning out 1963 it was becoming apparent that his (sic). Of the fascinating story of “Nature hit after hit, as many as 10 to 12 per year, chain smoking was catching up to him. Boy” and its intriguing author, Friedwald more than any other contemporary artist, Friedwald showed the last photo of Cole ever taken, with two nurses as he entered the hospital where he would die in 1965. His last hit broke when he was in this same hospital growing weaker and weaker. His funeral was huge, with a who’s who of Hollywood in attendance. This reportage of Will Friedwald’s excellent program can’t really touch the scope of it, nor could Friedwald compress his magnificent book into such a short time. The solution? Why, buy the book, of course. It’s called Straighten Up and Fly Right: The Life And Music of Nat King Cole—and think about supporting an independent book seller. PAGE 4 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY MARCH, 2021 Johnny Mercer: First, Last, and Always “Sister Susie, Strut Your Stuff” to “When October Goes” By Jerry Osterberg with music of every kind. He wrote his songs of 1933. It was recorded by a “My Aunt Hatty once said that when first song “Sister Susie, Strut Your Stuff” countless number of artists, from Paul I was six months-old she hummed at me while still in school. Songs that Mercer Robeson to the Supremes to Nellie and I hummed right back.” By the age of especially loved – jazz and – were McKay. For the next twenty years, three or four Johnny Mercer was Mercer songs dominated the already listening to records. One charts. In one 12-month period of the most prolific lyricists in stretching from to history, Mercer’s hugely March 1946, he had four successful run lasted more than number one hits as an artist: four decades. His songs had a “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the greater range and took in more Positive,” of America than those of any “Candy” (with ), other songwriter. Writer and “On the Atchison, Topeka, and educator Philip Furia, author of the Santa Fe,” and “Personality.” biographies of , Ira Mercer accepted an offer to Gershwin and Mercer, wrote go to Hollywood in 1937, where “He could be hiply urbane in “Satin booming in Harlem and on Broadway. he collaborated with Richard Whiting at Doll,” elegantly sensuous in “That Old He arrived with a song written for Eddie RKO, writing over twenty songs, Black Magic,” down-home folksy in “In Cantor which the star turned down. But, including “,” the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening,” Cantor, impressed by the young man’s Horray for Hollywood,” and “Have You excitedly childlike in “Jeepers Creepers,” obvious talent, encouraged him to keep Got Any Castles, Baby?” Following and achingly nostalgic in “Days of Wine trying. He soon wrote “Out of Breath and Whiting’s death, Mercer teamed up with and Roses.” Scared to Death of You,” which was used Harry Warren at Warner Brothers. Two of During the course of his lifetime, in the Garrick Gaieties. the most successful of their forty songs Mercer wrote more than one-thousand Mercer began his career as a singer were “Jeepers Creepers,” and “You Must songs, collaborated with two-hundred and songwriter for Paul Whiteman. Have Been a Beautiful Baby.” Perhaps composers, including Jerome Kern, Apprenticed with Yip Harburg, he because Mercer wrote lyrics with so Richard Whiting, Harold Arlen, Harry many different composers, his songs Warren, , Jimmy Van were most often identified with him Heusen, , David rather than the composer. Raksin, Arthur Schwartz, Andre Previn, The World War II era was a and , and earned 18 Oscar productive period for Mercer: “That Old nominations between 1938 and 1969. He Black Magic,” “This Time the Dreams on won the top prize four times: ”On the Me,” “Accentuate the Positive,” “Come Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe,” “In Rain or Come Shine,” and “Hit the Road the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening,” to Dreamland,” all written with Harold “,” and “Days of Wine and Arlen. Mercer and Carmichael reunited Roses.” The latter two songs, both for “Skylark” and “How Little We written with Henry Mancini, also won Know.” It was during this time that Grammy Awards for Song of the Year. Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, a former Oscar Hammerstein II, who won the radio repairman, and owner of Music Academy Award in 1942 for “The Last City, a large record store in Hollywood, Time I Saw Paris,” written with Jerome concluded that the West Coast needed a Kern, sent a telegram to Mercer which learned a lot from the extraordinarily major record company comparable to the read “Johnny, you was robbed.” The gifted lyricist. It was around this time he long established Decca, RCA, and losing song was “.” also met Hoagy Carmichael, who asked Columbia, which dominated the East John Herndon Mercer was born in him to write the words for a song he had Coast. Mercer went to Buddy DeSylva, a Savannah, Georgia on November 18, composed some years earlier. The result songwriter and producer, who agreed to 1909. Following college, he moved to was “Lazy Bones.” A recording by Ted put up all the capital to start the new , completely infatuated Lewis was among the five most popular company. Initially know as Liberty MARCH, 2021 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 5

Records, was formed on been won by rock and roll; Danny & The thrilled to work with such a long- April 8, 1942 thanks to DeSylva’s Juniors on top with “At the Hop” established legend. Mercer was also $25,000 investment. Two months later, followed closely by “The Purple People back on Broadway in 1964 with a the first recording was released: “I Found Eater,” although Perry Como hung on comedy, Foxy,” starring Bert Lahr. a New Baby” by the Paul Whiteman with “” and Frank But, the true watershed moment for band. Although it wasn’t a hit, the next Sinatra with “All the Way.” Mercer was when he teamed up with two were: “Cow-Cow Boogie” by Ella Mercer did have one hit during the Henry Mancini in 1961, an association Mae Morse and the Freddie Slack rock and roll era, Bernardine, sung by Pat which yielded two Oscar winning songs Orchestra, and Mercer’s own recording Boone in a 1957 film. back to back: “Moon River” and “Days of “Strip Polka.” It was the one and only time Mercer of Wine and Roses.” The team penned Because Mercer had an ear for good attempted to enter the genre, not that he two additional Academy Award songs and singers, he decided who sang didn’t keep busy. Mercer collaborated nominees: “Charade” and “The which songs. Early on, he recruited with Gene DePaul for L’il Abner on Sweetheart Tree,” and another which was , Jo Stafford, the Pied Broadway and the film Seven Brides for not nominated: “Whistling Away the Pipers, , Bobby Dark.” Mercer’s last nomination Sherwood, Martha Tilton, and came in 1972 for “Life Is What briefly, , who You Make It,” written with Marvin recorded “Trav’lin Light,” under Hamlisch. For The Good the pseudonym “Lady Day.” Companion, which opened in Mercer’s greatest discovery came London in 1974, Mercer teamed about when he went to hear the with Andre Previn. There were at King Cole Trio. He succeeded in least two young composers who persuading Nat King Cole to sing came close to collaborating with as well as play the piano and to Mercer: Paul McCartney and Barry make a vocal recording of Manilow. McCartney expressed “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” a genuine interest, but in-spite of song written by Cole in 1937. Margaret Whiting’s advocating, As a popular vocalist, Mercer Mercer gently turned down the performed his own songs and some offer, possibly because his wife written by other songwriters such Ginger was ill at the time. There as Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern. was no doubt, on the other hand, His included “G.I. Jive,” that Mercer wanted to work with “Jamboree Jones,” “One For my Manilow. Following Mercer’s Baby,” “Any Place I Hang My Hat death in 1976, Ginger gave several is Home” “Day In Day Out” and of her husband’s lyrics to Manilow “Fools Rush In.” Many of and asked him to finish them. Of Mercer’s biggest hits were collaborations Seven Brothers. the dozen or so lyrics he composed the with other artists: Jo Stafford, “Candy;” Beyond that, he was back on radio, music for, “When October Goes,” a hit , “Mister Meadowlark;” broadcasting for CBS five time per week. for Manilow in 1984, became a jazz Margaret Whiting, “Baby, It’s Cold Mercer began the decade with standard. Outside;” and the Nat King Cole Trio, “Autumn Leaves” and Broadway’s Top Once asked how it was possible for “Harmony” and “Save the Bones for Banana, ended it with L’il Abner, which one person to write so many great songs, Henry Jones.” turned in 693 performances, the lyrics to he answered ‘“When you get a tune like By the end of the 1950’s, rock and and ’s “One for My Baby,” and you find the roll and television had seized the world “,” and appearances on TV right mood, it’s the luckiest thing that can of popular music, starting as early as variety shows ( Bing Crosby, Dinah happen to a lyric writer. I’ve always 1956 for . His songs “Don’t Shore, Perry Como, and Andy Williams). written what I think I want to do, and the Be Cruel” and “Hound Dog” sold the The 1960’s were kind to Mercer. He way I want it to be.’” Margaret Whiting, most records that year. Kay Starr bravely made an album with , Two a friend and protégé of Johnny Mercer, faced the onslaught with “Rock and Roll of a Kind, which featured a terrific wrote: “He was a poet, a spinner of Waltz,” while future disc jockey Jim of “Bob White.” Darin, already a teen dreams, and he touched everyone with Lowe offered up “Green Door,” both of idol via “Splish Splash, and raised on the his songs.” which did well. By 1958, the battle had American Songbook, had to have been PAGE 6 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY MARCH, 2021

By Glen Charlow : How It All Began Lucille Ball was a television children (a brother Fred, was born in who didn’t have much money to lavish comedienne and film actress, born on 1915), Lucille’s childhood was a bit of a on her step-granddaughter. The family, August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York hardscrabble affair, one shaped by Lucille would later recall, lacked enough to Henry Durrell Ball and his wife tragedy and a lack of money. money even for school pencils. Desiree. The oldest of the couple’s two Ball’s father Henry, or “Had” as he Finally, at age 11, Lucille reunited was known to his family, was an with her mother when Desiree and Ed electrician and not long after his returned to Jamestown. Even then, Ball daughter’s birth he relocated the family had an itching to do something big and to Montana for work. Then it was off to when she was 15, she convinced her Michigan, where Had took a job as a mother to allow her to enroll in a New telephone lineman with the Michigan York City drama school. But despite her Bell Company. Life came undone in longing to make it on the stage, Ball was February 1915 when Had was struck too nervous to draw much notice. with typhoid fever and died. For Ball, “I was a tongue-tied teenager, just three years old at the time, her spellbound by the school’s star pupil, father’s death not only set in motion a ,” said Ball. The school series of difficult childhood hurdles, but finally wrote her mother. “Lucy’s wasting also served as the young girl’s first real her time and ours. She’s to shy and significant memory. reticent to put her best foot forward.” “I do remember everything that She remained in New York City, happened,” she said. “Hanging out the however, and by 1927 Ball, who had window, begging to play with the kids started calling herself Montana and later next door who had measles, the doctor Diane Belmont, found work as a model, coming, my mother weeping. I remember first for fashion designer , a bird that flew in the window, a picture and then, after overcoming a debilitating that fell .” bout of rheumatoid arthritis, Desiree, still reeling from her cigarettes. husband’s unexpected death and pregnant In the early , Ball, who had with Fred, packed up and returned to dyed her chestnut hair blonde, moved to Jamestown, New York, where she Hollywood to seek out more acting eventually found work in a factory and a opportunities. Work soon followed, new husband, Ed Peterson. Peterson, including a stint as one of the 12 however, wasn’t a fan of kids, especially “” to promote the 1933 young ones, and with Desiree’s blessing, flick, Roman Scandles. She he moved her to Detroit without his landed as an extra in the Ritz Brothers wife’s young son or daughter. Fred film, The Three Musketeers, and then in moved in with Desiree’s parents while 1937, earned a sizeable part in Stage Lucille was forced to make a new home Door, starring Katherine Hepburn and with Ed’s folks. For Ball that meant . contending with Peterson’s stern mother

This article originaly appeared in the September, 2011 issue of TIMES SQUARE CHRONICLES. It is rewritten here with permission from the Publisher of that paper. Glen Charlow became a major Lucille Ball collector when he moved from Baltimore to New York in 1983 and has since become recognized by many as having one of the largest “Lucy” collections on the East Coast. Some may remember him from A & E’s Biography when they did their tribute to Lucille Ball & . Many stills and photos of his are in that tribute as well as a few segments of his interview. That biography only aired once, Thanksgiving night, 1994. Now, living back in Baltimore since 2013, Glen occasionally performs his one-man show, "Loving Lucy: A Tribute To Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz & ". He performed this show for us back in June of 2012 when we were the New York Sheet Music Society Read a review of that show: Glen Charlow runs a website dedicated to Lucy: www.LucilleBall.net http://www.lucilleball.net/cabaret-nysms.html