VOLUME 42, NUMBER 9 Formerly New York Sheet Society www.APSSinc.org JUNE 2021 Sandi Durell Presents: 19th Annual Songwriter Series By Jerry Osterberg During the second outing of the wrote it with Mike Lew and Rehana Lew designed to transport the protagonist to Songwriter Series in 2002, Sandi Durell Mirza. The second number, “Celebrate England to meet up with Jemima. After performed “Opening the utilizing various forms of magical Show,” the words and music transportation to traverse the ocean, he written by Bob Ost. There eventually arrives in the UK. The final have been other times since, stage of the whimsical journey most notably in 2008, when necessitates riding with a stereotypical Durell performed “I Just Love London cabbie, who brings him to the Being Here With You,” a very front door of Jemima’s house. classic by Harriet Goldberg. Scheuer’s current project is a musical Having brought a countless about Peter Roget for the Williamstown number of talented composers, Theater Festival. lyricists, musicians, and An award-winning queer director, singers over the years to choreographer and writer, Joe Barros NYSMS and APSS, Durell works on Broadway, regionally, appeared on May 8th, and still internationally, and in film. He also acts undaunted by the challenge of as the Artistic Director of New York Zoom, presented yet another Christiane Noll Theatre Barn which incubates original glittering afternoon of theater. culture shifting musicals in real time First up were Jeff and Jacob Foy, a the Journey,” was presented by a socially before a live audience. His first song, father/son musical-writing team from distant chorus of fourteen high school “Dear Ryan,” was inspired by the late Indiana. Jacob, twenty-one, is the students. It depicted cast composer, arranger, and orchestrator, and rehearsals and an opening night co-writes the book and lyrics with the performance of a spirited group senior Foy. A song from their first show of youngsters, all of whom are Emergency, which debuted in 2019 to clearly high achievers. great reviews was “Male Nurse,” Contributing a beautifully followed by the title song of One Night orchestrated and poignant Only, scheduled to debut Off-Broadway “Empty Stage,” was Benjamin this Summer. Scheuer, the winner of a Drama Sam Willmott is a musical theater Desk Award for The Lion, and composer and lyricist. He has won recipient of the Kleban Prize. numerous awards for his writing, among His diverse resume includes them the Kleban Prize, Fred Ebb Award, writing music for film and two Richard Rodgers Award, and is a songs which were adapted into recipient of a Jonathan Larson Grant. The children’s books, Hibernate opening song “Erase You,” performed by With Me and Hundred Feet Ryan White Ariana Afsar, is from Bhangin’ It, a Tall. The second song “Hello production listed for the 2021/2022 Jemima” was accompanied by a clever season of La Jolla Playhouse. Willmott montage of colorful animation, all Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY JUNE, 2021 American President’s Message... Popular Song Linda Amiel Burns, President Society Greetings to APSS Members, Friends, Family and Fans, President: Linda Amiel Burns (212) 315-3500 It's hard to believe that the June 12th meeting will be the Vice Presidents: Grand Finale of the 2020-2021 season. I am very proud that we were able Joan Adams to keep the Society alive and well through the pandemic by presenting Sandi Durell terrific programs on Zoom. We had the help of many talented producers, Treasurer & Membership: performers, composers, technicians, and especially all of you, our supportive Glen Charlow members and friends. It is well known that the "magic of music" always helps us get through many of life's challenges, and it is especially true for those Secretary: Marilyn Lester who love and understand the healing powers of music and song. Board Of Directors: Many thanks to Board Member Sandi Durell for her remarkable Annual Elliott Ames Danny Bacher Songwriter Series in May. I thought it was her 16th Annual event, but found Bill Boggs a program from 2002, so it is nearly 20 years that she has been introducing Will Friedwald Michael Lavine us to so many exceptional composers, singers, and experts who continue to Sandy Marrone surprise and entertain us with their amazing talents. It is the lead story in Jerry Osterberg Andrew Poretz this Newsletter, so read all about it! The Program was recorded so if you Judy Stewart missed it, visit our website to see the video. Tom Toce Mark William Many people have asked me if we are going to be able to get back to The N E W S L E T T E R Green Room for our first program in October. Jerry Osterberg will indeed Editor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg be producing a tribute to the late and great Susannah McCorkle. I have not [email protected] yet heard back from the management, but will let you know our future Contributing Editor: Marilyn Lester [email protected] schedule for the Fall as soon as it is confirmed Sandi Durell and I met with Associate Editor: Joan Adams Bernie Furshpan, who now produces Metropolitan Zoom, and we discussed [email protected] Graphic Designer: Glen Charlow the possibility of continuing our meetings in a hybrid form. That means not [email protected] only live programs but also streaming our meetings for people from out of Photographer: Rose Billings town, and those unable to attend in person. Lots to think about as we emerge [email protected] from this pandemic and adjusting to the changes that it has brought about. Membership Mailing Address: American Popular Song Society Looking forward to our P.O. Box 5856 Birthday Tribute to Dean Pikesville, MD 21282 Martin, produced by Will Why is that the mailing address? Friedwald and Bill Boggs, on Because the treasurer lives in Baltimore, Maryland. June 12th and hope to see you [email protected] there. This email address goes to Glen Charlow ❤ Memberships can Linda be paid with: Linda Amiel Burns, President American Popular Song Society L to R- George David Weiss (Lullabye of Birdland), Linda Amiel Burns, Sheldon Harnick, Bobby Weinstein (Going Out of My Head) MEETING LOCATION: Our programsinside the during the via Paypal 2020-21 pandemic are (570 10th Ave. 4th fl) at www.APSSinc.org being brought to you by... 11:00am - 2:00pm Come early to look thruwww.zoom.us Sheet Music & CD’s & stuff, all FREE. JUNE, 2021 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3

Ryan White, who became the poster child newest singer-songwriter album, Music Producer for the Showtime series for HIV/AIDS. The text was based upon All Wandering Hearts, which Kidding, where his work was performed the many letters written by children to includes “Make it Flood,” the first of two by Ariana Grande, Kesha, Dick Van White during his well-chronicled songs Zuraitis performed at the May Dyke, and Jim Carrey. He is the winner terminal illness. The words were meeting. The second song, “I Love You of Kleban Prize in , and conveyed by twenty-three middle a Latte,” was written as a tribute to her the Richard Rodgers Award for his new schoolers who gave truly heartfelt coffee loving spouse. The charming stage musical The Monster, an adaptation performances. “Good,” the second of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. of Barros’s songs, was performed Schmuckler performed a lovely by a boy and girl from the larger tune “Sparrow,” and “All Aboard,” chorus. The talented couple performed by the Tony Award produced some wonderful, sweet winning actress Jessie Mueller, and harmony. written for 1919: A New Musical. Jamie deRoy, who produced {It is worth noting that one of the her own show for APSS in January, musicals which made it to the stage was back with a friend and major in 1919, was A Lonely Romeo, star, Christiane Noll. With seven which featured “Any Old Place to her credit, With You,” written by a seventeen including The Band’s Visit, Angels year old Richard Rodgers with in America, and Once On This Lorenz Hart. Although it was the Island, deRoy’s diversified career one song they contributed to the includes not only producing, but score, it represented the first time performing in cabaret and theater, they had worked together. Theirs Nicole Zuraitis as well as film, television, and was the only published song from recordings. Noll, who is the the play, and the first of Rodgers’ daughter of the late Ron Noll, the Emmy singer managed to coax out a laugh each songs to be published}. Award-winning Music Supervisor for time she delivered the title line, which Doug Cohen’s incredibly impressive CBS, made her Broadway debut in Jekyll happened a “lotte.” resume includes No Way to Treat a Lady, & Hyde and was critically acclaimed for Pandemic or not, like everyone on the The Gig, The Big Time, and Children’s her role as “Mother” in the Kennedy program, Alan Schmuckler has been a Letters to God. Along the way, he won Center revival of . She the Fred Ebb Award, two Richard gave a fantastic performance of Rodgers Awards, and a MAC “Wish On The Moon,” written by Award for “Shalom, Santa,” deRoy with Shelly Markham and written with APSS Board Barry Kleinbort. Noll’s most member Tom Toce. His latest recent project was a live- musical, Don’t Stay Safe, which streamed new musical, Coming was co-written with Cheryl L. Alive Again, presented by the Davis, was nominated for a 2021 Goodspeed Theater Works in Drama League Award. Cohen Hartford, Connecticut. introduced Jeffrey Deutsch, who Vocalist, pianist and performed a breezy “I’ve Got My songwriter, Nicole Zuraitis and Eye on You,” and Karen Mason, her husband, the renowned whose performance of “Come drummer Dan Pugach, were Back to Bed” was touching. nominated for a Grammy for Cohen wrote it as an assignment their of Dolly for a songwriting master class Parton’s “Jolene.” Without her hosted by Lee Adams, the winner frequent pre-Covid gigs at of two Tony Awards. Mason can Birdland Club and 55 Bar in currently be seen in the Netflix Greenwich Village, Zuraitis has series Halston. been presenting her own shows in Virtual busy fellow. He has written the music, Piano Lounge. She has also released her words, and score, and served as the Continued on page 5 PAGE 4 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY JUNE, 2021 in the Heyday of the By Marilyn Lester Today’s Las Vegas is a far cry from Tropicana. By 1954, 8 million people casinos in the city. Martin, by the way, the swinging, Mob-ruled town of the were visiting Vegas yearly, spending actually owned a minor piece of a Las 1950s, but back in the day, the plentiful $200 million in an ever-increasing Vegas hotel casino, the Riviera, when he casinos were filled with high rollers and number of casinos, and enjoying big was a headliner in the showroom there. attractions such as Liberace, Bing had given his first Vegas Crosby, Andy Williams, Carol Channing, performance in September of 1951 at the and of course, the Rat Packers––Frank , but the Sands had become a Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., , particularly popular venue in the early and . 1950s. It attracted names such as Lena In those days, whites-only policies Horne (billed as “The Satin Doll”), Louis prevented Blacks from staying at “white” Armstrong, , Marlene hotels, even though they might be Dietrich, and many headliners there. Infamously, entertainers more. The main room, the such as Sammy Davis, Jr. and Ella (named after New York’s Fitzgerald, were forced to stay elsewhere nightclub) employed band an abundance of very high-profile, A-list and had to access the venues they were leader/conductor, , who performers from New York, Broadway, performing in through service entrances. became a famous Vegas player in his own Hollywood and beyond. The 1950s was Ironically, it was the Mob that made right. the heyday of iconic Las Vegas; it was the initial attempts at desegregating the “Vegas Vic” made his debut in 1951; era when the Rat Pack dominated a city hotels and casinos it controlled. It was a this was the 40-foot neon cowboy sign built on wild, exotic, late-night profit-motivated stance. By putting erected above the Pioneer Club, aligning entertainment. nonwhite-owned clubs out of business, with a promotional campaign The region Las Vegas occupies has the Mob could control even more market proclaiming that Las Vegas was “Still a been inhabited since prehistory, but Frontier Town.” Vegas Vic was it wasn’t until westward expansion mechanical, able to move its arms, in the early 1800s that a town was wink and blow smoke rings from established. That outpost, used his cigarette. Another tidbit about mainly as a water stop for wagon Vegas: and his then- trains, and later railroads, grew wife, Keely Smith, pioneered the rapidly and became the lounge act concept at the Sahara; incorporated city of Las Vegas in the two quickly became one of the 1911. When work began on nearby biggest late-night attractions in Hoover Dam in 1931, the town. population of the town suddenly Some other highlights of the swelled, bringing in construction share. In 1955, crime boss Will Max 1950s include a two-week show, workers––and the Mafia, which cannily Schwartz opened the upscale Moulin headlined by Ronald Reagan, at The Last saw an opportunity for profit built on Rouge, the first racially integrated hotel Frontier, in 1954; the last appearance of casinos and entertainment. Thus, the first casino in Vegas. It closed within a year, the team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello gambling license was issued and Las but only because Schwartz and his before their permanent breakup in 1956; Vegas was on its way. In the latter years business partners fell out. Still, the seed and ’s Vegas debut in April of the 1930s, the dam completed, of integration had been planted, 1956 at the New Frontier Hotel. In 1955, workers were replaced by a growing especially as the Civil Rights Movement Noël Coward was paid the then number of tourists who embraced the city was gaining steam. as a burgeoning resort destination. Famously, Frank Sinatra was a In 1941, hotels and casinos began to driving force in integrating the casinos. pop up with regularity, beginning with Sinatra refused to play at the Sands Hotel the El Rancho Vegas and the Mob- unless pal Sammy Davis, Jr. was financed Flamingo. Other now legendary provided with a room on the premises. hotel casinos, all mostly Mob-connected, Joined by other Rat Pack members, soon followed, including the Sahara, including Dean Martin, the group began Sands, Riviera, Fremont, Desert Inn and making similar demands on other hotel JUNE, 2021 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 5 Songwriters cont... The last performer of the which included two handicapped afternoon, and the person who literally singers and dancers, performed “The held the entire program together as Pursuit of Happiness.” The storyline APSS’s resident tech expert, was of the play, which addresses MAC Songwriting Award winner discrimination of every kind, provides Amy Engelhardt. She has garnered a an entirely fresh meaning to the iconic Richard Rodgers Award, is an O’Neill phrase. Finalist, and an OBA Best New The program ran close to three Musical nominee for Bastard Jones. hours. Because every songwriter was Other theater writing includes live, Durell was free to engage in Triptych, commissioned by the New lively and enlightening conversations. York Museum of Transit, Carl Sagan’s Including the singers there were Contact, and Tesla. Those old enough several faces and names which were to remember the beloved quiz show familiar to APSS members, although Name That Tune may find it a goodly number were not. It is interesting to know that Enelhardt is refreshing to know that such the creator, director and Artistic Producer Bastard Jones, a musical choreographed exceptional talents continue to appear, of Tune in Time, ’s by Joe Barros, and completely financed and Durell manages to find them. Our musical theater game show. Engelhardt with voluntary contributions at every sincere gratitude to Sandi Durell for two presented a promotional video for stage of the project. The cast of nine, decades of sparkling entertainment!

Rat Pack cont... astronomical sum of $160,000 for a four- floor penthouse), residing for varying week run at the Desert Inn. The first lengths of time at his whim. He and his topless show, Minsky’s Follies, was entourage of personal aides arrived at the introduced in 1957, which opened doors hotel in November, 1966. Eventually for similar shows, such as the French asked to leave by management, and production Lido de Paris in 1958 at the refusing to vacate, Hughes bought the Stardust Hotel. Another Las Vegas icon Desert Inn in early 1967. Shortly was introduced in 1959––the installation thereafter, he began extending his of the large “Welcome to Las Vegas influence in Vegas by creating an empire ” sign, designed by Betty Willis. of real estate, hotels and media outlets–– As the 1960s rolled on, Las Vegas spending an estimated $300 million to do began its slow but steady morph into the so. Hughes became one of the most city we know today as a place that’s more powerful men in Las Vegas, credited with Disneyland than Sin City. It began in disengaging the city from organized 1966 with Howard Hughes, the highly crime and transforming the image of Las eccentric and hugely wealthy Vegas from its Wild West frontier roots entrepreneurial financier, taking up into an increasingly cosmopolitan residence in the Desert Inn Hotel. Hughes destination. Now, more than a half had begun making a practice of moving century later, the Las Vegas of the Rat hiply exotic and ineffably glamorous. into and out of hotels (always in the top Pack is only a memory of a place once PAGE 6 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY JUNE, 2021

By Steffie Lederman

Determined to chase and other quirky down the real collections characters, there’s one on his own, rather than special person he was just acquiring them in one never able to embrace: fell swoop, Charlow had GLEN CHARLOW OPENS HIS ARMS AND Lucy herself. “The one to retool his self-analysis. HIS HEART TO THE MEMORY OF EVER- and only time I got up the “The horrible realization LOVABLE LUCILLE BALL nerve to write a fan that I was a collector set Part Two of Two Parts letter,” he says, “I sent it in”, he mockingly to her in the hospital. The laments. And knowing day after I mailed the that he wasn’t just casually buying, but Additionally, he has had an active letter is when she died. I got back a note was keenly collecting, helped him to correspondence with Lucy and Desi’s from the family that was basically a pursue his new acquisitions with a daughter, Lucie Arnaz, an entertainer in ‘thanks for remembering Mom and fervent passion. her own right. thanks for writing.’” Having originally migrated to the A few years after his favorite Big Apple to try his luck in showbiz, performer passed away, Charlow Charlow has had opportunities to tread commissioned an artist to create a the stage boards. Combining his love of portrait that immortalized Lucille Ball showmanship with his favorite TV in her different characters and at show, he has mounted a one-man different stages of her life. The color cabaret act entitled “Loving Lucy: A portrait hangs in his living room today. Tribute to Lucy, Desi, & ‘I Love “I sent a photocopy to Lucie Arnaz Lucy’”. He’s performed this revue at a and asked what she thought of it,” New York City club, and has made Charlow shares. Lucy’s daughter liked cameo appearances with bits and pieces the idea, but wasn’t too pleased with the Charlow unearthed his future from it at other performers’ venues. “I central portrait image. “The rest of it collectibles through legwork and logic. sing songs like the ones done on “I Love was fine, though,” he continues. He scoured flea markets, classified ads, Lucy” - the ones mainly performed by The spirit of Lucy pervades secondhand stores, and then eBay, Desi Arnaz,” he explains. “I sing a Charlow’s home, and the memory of her which was just starting to launch on the “Wildcat” medley [a show Lucille Ball talent resides in his heart. He sees her Internet. “I once found a magazine, starred in on Broadway] and a “Mame” legacy of laughter and love as universal which was very old at the time, that had medley [a film that Lucy helmed]. I tell and unyielding: “Wherever you go, an ad for the Lucille Ball Fan Club on about the journey Lucy took through her there are kids and adults who say they the back,” he reminisces. “I wrote to career to get the title of “Queen of have favorite episodes, and they never the address on the ad and asked to join Comedy”, and I talk about my collection once tire of talking about how great her the club. I got back a notice saying that and how I got it started”. shows are. Many say her show has the original fan club no longer existed, Glen Charlow’s evolution as a healing powers. I fully believe this. If but another get-together was in the collector and as a pop culture historian you’re ever feeling blah, running a works. is something to sing about. He has fever, or are laid up in bed for a few “Soon his solo searching became taken a childhood fancy and has days, turn on an episode of “I Love enhanced through connections with cultivated it into something that sustains Lucy”. I guarantee she’ll make you feel like-minded collectors. He began him socially and professionally. In 100 percent better. I’m no doctor, but corresponding, visiting, attending addition to his sought-after work as a take in an episode of “I Love Lucy”, and conventions, and rubbing elbows with graphic designer, he has a Web site that call me in the morning!” Lucille Ball aficionados. His horizons sells Lucy-centric collectibles and is were opening up and his collection was currently putting the finishing touches Reprint permission granted from both expanding and becoming fine- on a CD of his favorite songs. “Two TREASURES (formerly Collector tuned - more personally honed. Desi favorites, ‘Cuban Pete’ and ‘Straw Editions magazine), One of the benefits of meeting other Hat Song’, are both on the CD,” he www.Treasuresmagazine.com Lucy zealots was the chance to begin shares. relationships with crew members, guest Though his life with Lucy has Visit Glen Charlow’s Web sites at stars, and other creative types who helped him to forge lasting friendships www.GlenCharlow.com, orbited around Lucy’s stardom. with talented artists, super collectors, &. www.LucilleBall.net