Rodgers & Hammerstein:  A Wonderful Guy

Rodgers & Hammerstein: A Wonderful Guy

When Mary Martin died in 1990, the headline of her New York Times obituary called her “the first lady of musicals.”  Probably now unknown by anyone younger than 40, Martin was, in her time, one of the most famous performers in the United States, and the creator of two...
Rodgers and Hart:  Sing for Your Supper

Rodgers and Hart: Sing for Your Supper

“Sing for Your Supper”, a Rodgers and Hart trio from The Boys from Syracuse is irresistibly goofy, especially when it’s done so enthusiastically by world class singers.  I couldn’t decide who did it better—the Broadway stars Rebecca Luker, Audra McDonald...
Rodgers and Hart: This Funny World

Rodgers and Hart: This Funny World

If you read yesterday’s entry, you won’t find it surprising that the dream that brought me to New York’s upper west side in 1978 was to write lyrics for musical theatre. I did this off and on, in obscurity, for many years. In various different workshops (ugh, that...
Eileen Farrell sings “Ten Cents a Dance”

Eileen Farrell sings “Ten Cents a Dance”

About two months ago I told Claire I would finally do Song of the Day and she proposed the weeks of December 12–16 and 19–23.  So you’ve got me for the next two weeks, or maybe that should be, I’ve got you. These blogs have really represented NYFOS’s motto, No Song Is...
Richard Rodgers:  Take the Moment

Richard Rodgers: Take the Moment

Many great songs are American standards; some fly under the radar of popular culture.  And then there are a few great songs that haven’t even been properly introduced to the radar. In 1965, you would be hard-pressed to find two songwriters who better represented the...