DECEMBER 2018www.APSSinc.org

Newsletter

VOLUME 40, NUMBER 3 Formerly New York Sheet Music Society

By Jerry Osterberg

Continued on page 3

When one considers theastounding body of work byAlan Jay Lerner, it’s difficultto choose which are thefavorite songs. There arethose he wrote with thecomposer Frederick Loewe:“Almost Like Being inLove,” “They Call the WindMaria,” “I Remember ItWell,” “If Ever I WouldLeave You,” and “On theStreet Where You Live,”from Brigadoon, Paint YourWagon, Love Life/Gigi,Camelot, and My Fair Lady,respectively. Although hismost successful works werewritten with Loewe, he alsocollaborated with AndrePrevin in Coco, LeonardBernstein in 1600Pennsylvania Avenue, KurtWeill in Love Life, CharlesStrouse in Dance a LittleCloser, briefly with RichardRodgers in I Picked a Daisy,and most notably withBurton Lane for On a ClearDay You Can See Forever,Royal Wedding, Carmelina,and Huckleberry Finn,which was never produced.

Happily, for the APSSmembership, it all cametogether on November 10,thanks to Amy Asch, who,with Dominic McHugh, haspublished an exceptionalmasterwork The CompleteLyrics of Alan Jay Lerner,with a good deal of vocal

assistance from KT Sullivanand Mark Nadler, bothextraordinary cabaret singerswho often perform as a team.Amy Asch has been anAPSS member for severalyears, which included a spellon the newsletter. She is amusical theatre researcherand archivist, havingcompiled and annotated TheComplete Lyrics of OscarHammerstein II and hasdone projects for the estatesof Irving Berlin andJonathan Larson (Rent), theRodgers & HammersteinOrganization, and theLibrary of Congress. Amy isa longtime employee ofPlaybill. Dominic McHughis Senior Lecturer inMusicology and Director of

Performance at theUniversity of Sheffield,England. His publicationsinclude Loverly: The Lifeand Times of My Fair Ladyand Alan Jay Lerner: ALyricist’s Letters.

As we did for last seasonand the year to date, webegan the program with ayoung hopeful, Emily Ellet,who’s been attracting a lot ofattention since winning the2017 Metro Star TalentChallenge. Emily hasappeared Off-Broadway andregionally with theReduxion, Vital, andOklahoma theatercompanies, as well as theOklahoma Philharmonic.She’s also appeared in anOff-Broadway production of

Stephen Schwartz’sproduction of Magic to Do.Besides her singing andacting, Emily has narratedclose to 200 audio books.Accompanied by BenRosenblum, Ms. Elletoffered “Goody, Goody”(Johnny Mercer & MartyMalneck), “Beautiful City”(Stephen Schwartz), and“Soon It’s GonnaRain…Men? (HarveySchmidt, Tom Jones/PaulJabara, Paul Shaffer).Emily’s up-tempo, ballad,and comedic skills areequally good, which earnedher another hundred instantfans.

KT Sullivan and MarkNadler performed aninspired collection from theAlan Jay Lerner catalog,encompassing “One MoreWalk Around the Block”(Carmelina), “You Haven’tChanged at All” (The DayBefore Spring), “If Ever IWould Leave You,” and“How to Handle a Woman”(both from Camelot), “WhenYour Lover Says Goodbye”(Coco), “Too Late Now,”(Royal Wedding), written forJudy Garland before she lostthe part to Jane Powell,although Garland got to singit on her television show in1963, and “I Loved YouOnce in Silence” (Camelot).Following a delightful

Centennial Tribute Celebrating the Brilliance of Alan Jay Lerner:Amy Asch, KT Sullivan & Mark Nadler Shine!

Amy Asch Mark Nadler & KT Sullivan

Hello, Everyone:

We started our 2018-2019 season off with two amazing afternoons! Firstwith Alex Leonard’s Harry Warren presentation, and in November, the Tribute to Alan JayLerner’s Centennial with Amy Asch, (The Complete Lyrics of AJL) featuring the remarkableKT Sullivan and Mark Nadler singing some of his songs. It was a pleasure to host the paneldiscussion with our guests, and to learn so much from these marvelous experts, researchers,and entertainers. You can read all about the outstanding program in this issue written by ourEditor, Jerry Osterberg.

We are all very pleased with the success of our openingacts, which introduce you to young and talented singers wholove good music. In October, we had the wonderful NicolaMills, who brings “Opera to the People.” In November, wewere delighted by the beautiful Emily Ellet, winner of theMetroStar Contest, who has been making a name for herself inthe cabaret and theater world.

The Member Exchange Table is very special, as you can find sheet music, CD’s, booksand memorabilia at no cost. Many thanks to those members who bring items for the table, asit is best to give some of our collections to people who appreciate these treasures of the past.

Welcome to Andrew Poretz, the newest member of our esteemed Board of Directors, whois in charge of social media for APSS, and getting the word out about us and who we are.Thanks also to the team who produce this great newsletter each month - Editor: JerryOsterberg, Associate Editor: Joan Adams, Designer: Glen Charlow and Writer: Marilyn Lester.

On December 9th, Will Friedwald, Board Member and Sinatra expert, will introduce usto his latest book on “Old Blue Eyes,” and talk about his relationship with composer JimmyVanHeusen. Will’s programs are always sensational and are a great way to end the year! Don’tmiss it!

Hoping you all had a good Thanksgivingholiday, and wishing you good health, success,joy, and lots of music and song in your life!

PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY DECEMBER, 2018

President’s Message...Linda Amiel Burns, President

Linda

President:Linda Amiel Burns

Vice Presidents:Joan AdamsSandi Durell

Treasurer & Membership:Glen Charlow

Secretary:Marilyn Lester

Board Of Directors:Elliott AmesBill Boggs

Glen CharlowSandi DurellWill FriedwaldMichael LavineMarilyn LesterSandy MarroneJerry OsterbergAndrew PoretzJudy StewartTom Toce

Membership Mailing Address:American Popular Song Society

P.O. Box 5856Pikesville, MD 21282APSSinc.org@gmail.com

(212) 315-3500 (Linda A. Burns)

American PopularSong Society

MEETING LOCATION: Local 802 – Musicians’ Hall322 West 48th Street. Program: 1:45 – 3:30PM.Come early to look thru Sheet Music & CD’s & stuff, all FREE.

N E W S L E T T E REditor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg

osterbergg@aol.comContributing Editor: Marilyn Lester

mj@mjlester.comAssociate Editor: Joan Adamsjoan.adams@corcoran.com

Graphic Designer: Glen CharlowGlenCharlow@gmail.com

orAPSSinc.org@gmail.com

Amy Asch, Mark Nadler, KT Sullivan, Linda Amiel Burns

p.s. Due to an increase in expenses, we hadto raise the membership dues only 5.00. So asingle yearly membership is now 60. and couplesare 80. We make every effort to keep these feeslow. Of course if you want to join at the Angel,Patron or Benefactor levels, that's alwaysanother option of membership.

Best wishes,

Emily Elletprovided theopening actin November

Photo by Rose Billings

tapdancing segment by MarkNadler, KT joined him for amedley which included“Follow Me,” “Come Back toMe,” “I Talk to the Trees,” “IRemember It Well,” “TheRain in Spain,” “With a LittleBit of Luck,” “Get Me to theChurch on Time,” “Wouldn’tIt Be Loverly?” “The SimpleJoys of Maidenhood,” and“Come to Me, Bend to Me.”

After an unsuccessfulmusical version of the filmLolita, written with JohnBarry, Lerner coaxed FritzLoewe out of a decade longretirement for The LittlePrince in 1974. The film wasthe last of a three-picture dealwith Paramount. Over thenext ten years, three of hisproductions failed to attractan audience: 1600Pennsylvania Avenue,

Carmelina, and Dance aLittle Closer. Lerner’s lastproject, uncompleted at thetime of his death in 1986, wasMy Man Godfrey, based on acomedy with Carole Lombardand William Powell. Whilehis working relationship withthe composer Gerard Kennywas a happy one, Kenny,

although a successfulsongwriter, lacked experiencewith musicals. Together theywrote almost a dozen songs,several of which have beenrecorded and are occasionallyperformed live.

Our thanks to Amy Asch,KT Sullivan, and MarkNadler, for presenting a

fabulous afternoon of musicalhistory and music! Thecombination of story, be itnarrative or in musical form,is a trademark of theAmerican Popular SongSociety. It may not alwayswork as well as it did lastmonth, but when it does,there’s an audience who leavethe room with a song on theirlips and in their hearts.

DECEMBER, 2018 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3

Alan Jay Lerner...Continued from page 1

Carol Shedlin – Skylarking:The Songs of Hoagy CarmichaelBy Jerry Osterberg

The audience at Don’t Tell Mama received an earlyThanksgiving treat on November 19 by way of Carol Shedlin,who performed her third in a series of four shows, the openeron October 1. In using the term “skylarking” as the title of herhumor filled outing, I believe that Carol meant “frolicking”absent the scampering about a ship’s rigging as 17th Centuryseamen were prone to do for entertainment.

Always a consummate performer, Carol has presented notless than twenty different acts over a period of twenty-fiveyears. Including her countless solo appearances with TheSinging Experience, she’s performed at Danny’s, Judy’s,Dangerfield’s, Café 44, Triad, and for the past decade, at Don’tTell Mama. Her Music Directors have included RichardDanley, Tedd Firth, Jerry Scott, and Jon Delfin.

Not surprisingly, the Manhattan Association of Cabaretspresented Carol with the prestigious Hanson Award earlier thisyear.

And, what better way to showcase her well-honed talentthan to focus on the catalog of Hoagy Carmichael, a prolificcomposer whose music has provided a backdrop to our lives

for close to thirty years. Hislong list of hits, written withlyricists such as Marshall Barer,Johnny Mercer, EdwardHeyman, Harold Adamson,Ned Washington, MitchellParish, and Frank Loesser,produced such gems as “In theCool, Cool, Cool of theEvening,” “Skylark,”“Lazybones,” “Lazy River,”“Georgia on My Mind,” “TheNearness of You,” and“Stardust,” not to mention“Heart and Soul.”

Being the musicologist thatshe is, Carol also included a-number of the lesser known compositions, among them “SingIt Way Down Low,” “Moonburn,” “My Resistance is Low,”“Old Man Harlem,” and “The Rumba Jumps.” Of the set oftwenty, one of the more interesting numbers was “I Walk WithMusic,” which appeared in Carmichael’s only Broadway show,written with Johnny Mercer.

Continued on page 6

Alan Jay LernerMark Nadler

Carol Shedlin

PAGE 4 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY DECEMBER, 2018

Before He Was the Chairman of the Board—The Making of Frank SinatraBy Marilyn Lester

It was a tough start for Francis AlbertSinatra. He was born on December 12,1915, in the rough and tumbleshipbuilding, factory town of Hoboken,New Jersey. He almost didn’t survive hisbirth, suffering head and neck injuriesduring a forceps-aided delivery. Hisfather, Antonino, who went by the nameof Marty O‘Brien, was a bantamweightboxer, and later a dockworker and tavernowner. His mother, Natalina, nicknamedDolly, was a shrewd woman involved inlocal politics. Sinatra biographer JamesKaplan described her as having a“politician’s temperament—restless,energetic, unreflective.” Only child Frankwas doted on, even though Dolly didn’tsuffer fools either.

Early in his life, Sinatra became addictedto the radio, fell in love with big bandjazz (he idolized Bing Crosby) and begansinging as a youngster. He knew then thathe wanted to make something ofhimself—and make it big. His maternaluncle Domenico gave him a ukulele forhis 15th birthday, and he began to performat family gatherings. He had little interestin high school and was expelled afteronly 47 days in attendance for “generalrowdiness.” To please Dolly he enrolledat Drake Business School, but lasted only11 months. Young Frank had his eyesfirmly fixed on show business. He beganperforming in local Hoboken social clubs

and sang for free on local radio stations.Sinatra also began taking elocutionlessons with vocal coach John Quinlan,who was impressed by his vocal rangeand capabilities.

His first break in singing was in 1935, atthe Hoboken Union Club. His motherpersuaded a singing group called TheThree Flashes (James Petrozelli, PatPrinciple and Fred Tamburro) to includeFrank, a proposition they were notenthused about. At that time, MajorEdward Bowes’s “Original AmateurHour,” a talent contest radio show, wasextremely popular. Bowes sought out thegroup, now known as The Hoboken Four,and for their appearance on the programthey performed “Shine,” with Sinatrasinging Bing Crosby’s part. Bowesintroduced them as “singing and dancingfools.” Fred Tamburro introducedhimself, James and Pat, but he ignoredSinatra. When Bowes asked “What aboutthat one,” Tamburro said “Oh, he neverworked a day in his life.” The HobokenFour won the contest, the prize being asix-month performing and touringcontract. Things did not go well. Sinatrabecame the center of attention, causingjealous and sometimes violent outburstsin the others. After three months, Sinatraquit the group, heading back to Hoboken.

Dolly immediately went into action,arranging a singing job at the RusticCabin, a roadhouse in Englewood Cliffs,New Jersey. The Rustic Cabin was

affiliated with radio station WNEW,which enabled Sinatra to be heard acrossthe New York City area. This, in turn, ledto a one-year recording contract andSinatra’s 1939 debut recording of “OurLove” with the Frank Mane band. Atabout the same time, Louise Tobin, wifeof Harry James(who’d recently leftBenny Goodman to start his own band),heard Sinatra sing on the radio. She wasimpressed. James went to the RusticCabin and offered Sinatra an auditionright then and there. In June 1939,Sinatra signed a two-year contract withJames and recorded “From the Bottom ofMy Heart.” It was the next recording,though, that put Sinatra on the map. “Allor Nothing at All, recorded for Columbia,was an unqualified hit.

But the James band hadn’t yet clicked,and the leader found it difficult to meethis payroll. When Tommy Dorsey, inneed of a vocalist, offered Sinatra the job,James tore up their contract, wishingFrank success. Sinatra admittedly learneda great deal directly from Dorsey,particularly about phrasing, breathcontrol and lyric interpretation. Yet, afterthree years with the Dorsey organization,Sinatra knew he wanted to strike out onsolo career. In 1943 he got his wish. Thebreak with Dorsey wasn’t amicable, butSinatra was on his way. With mobs ofbobbysoxer fans swooning at his everynote, Francis Albert Sinatra was zoomingtoward super-stardom. The rest, as thesaying goes, is history.

Frank Sinatra, 1924

Frank Sinatra, Harry James, 1939

Frank Sinatra and the “Hoboken Four”, 1935

Linda Amiel Burns, APSS President, is celebrating four decades of The SingingExperience. Several APSS members have taken this workshop, some morethan once. For those of us who have, we can assure you that you’ll feel like apro by the night of the performance. Although many students have never sungin public before, the supportive environment has prepared them well for theirdebut. Call Linda at 212-315-3500 to sign up. The Singing Experience CableTV show continues on MNN Time Warner: Channel 56 or RCN: Channel 111.The program broadcasts are every Sunday at 5:00 PM. You can also see yourfellow NYSMS members on YouTube at any time.

‘Tis the Season, the final performance of The Singing Experience for 2018,will take place at the Triad, West 72nd Street, on Thursday, December 13. Foradditional information, contact Linda @ 212-315-3500 or writelabstarmaker@gmail.com.

Midday Jazz Midtown continues Wednesdays (1:00 PM to 2:00 PM) at SaintPeter’s Church (East 54 Street (entrance) @ Lexington Ave), NYC, Hosted byRonny Whyte. December 5, Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra; December 12,Yuletide Celebration I, Boots Maleson, Ray Marchica, Ronny Whyte, LibbyYork, Sandy Stewart, Ben Cassara, Carrie Jackson, Alex Leonard; December19, Yuletide Celebration II, Boots Maleson, David Silliman, Ronny Whyte, DarylSherman, Eli Perez, Roz Corral, Amy London; December 26, Luiz Simas &Wesley Amorim, Luiz Simas – piano, Wesley Amorim – Guitar & Guitarlele.Suggested donation: $10. Parking: Icon Parking, East 51 St, between Thirdand Lexington Ave. $15 including tax for five hours with validation@SaintPeter’s Reception Desk. www.ronnywhyte.comwww.saintpeters.org/jazz/midtownjazz.htm.

Multiple MAC Award Nominee Jeff Macauley celebrates the songs of BobbyTroup & chronicles the life of Scotty Bowers in Where Did the Gentlemen Go?at Pangea on Friday, December 7 @ 7:00 PM. Tex Arnold is the MusicalDirector. Cover charge is $25 at the door or $20 online, and there’s a $25food/drink minimum. Location: 178 Second Avenue, between East 11 and 12Streets. For additional information, go to www.jeffmacauley.com orstevenhanks41@gmail.com.

Steve Ross will be celebrating the holidays on Monday, December 17 andTuesday, December 18, with Festive Songs of Love and Friendship at Birdland.Included in the set are tunes from his latest CD, It’s Almost Christmas. JoiningSteve on stage are Ken Hirsch and Rosie Casey. For reservations go to:https://www.birdlandjazz.com/attraction/steveross/ To purchase Steve’s albumvisit: https://www.amazon.com/its-almost-christmas-steve-ross/dp/B07J3KHVB9

DECEMBER, 2018 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 5

Member News...

Send Member News to Osterbergg@aol .com no la ter than the 15th of each month for the next issue.

If you have any member news, or other items you would like to haveconsidered for this newsletter, please send it by e-mail to the co-editor, Jerry Osterbergg: osterbergg@AOL.com. It will be subject toediting, depending on size and content, and please remember thatwe try to go to press two weeks before each monthly meeting. Weoften get very good items that get to us after the newsletter has beenprinted and mailed.

Marissa Mulder will be appearing with her Musical Director Jon Weber onMonday, December 3 @ 7:00PM at The Triad, 158 West 72nd Street, in a tributeto Frank Sinatra’s 1969 album A Man Alone: The Words and Music of RodMcKuen. Will Friedwald will be on hand to provide historical perspective bypresenting video clips of Sinatra performing various selections. There’s a $20cover and a 2-drink minimum. For reservations, go tohttp://:www.triadnyc.com/event955b519734fad284c7458ec11b08.

Emily Ellet, who graced our stage at the November meeting, will be appearingat the Urban Stages Winter Rhythm Festival (259 West 30th St) on Tuesday,December 18 @ 7:00 PM; and on Monday, December 24 @ 7:00 PM at theChristmas Eve Pre-Lecture Vocal Concert at Third Church of Christ Scientist,583 Park Avenue at East 63rd Street. Emily will also be performing at the Salonin January on a date TBA.

Board member Marilyn Lester is now the Executive Director of the newnonprofit American Songbook Association (an outgrowth of the Cabaret Scenesfoundation). The mission is publishing the magazine, bringing the music intothe schools and providing quality, low-cost performances to senior citizens,students and all who love songbook music. Please checkout www.americansongbookassociation.org

Do you seek an elusive song? If you do, write APSS Board member SandyMarrone @ smusandy@aol.com or call 856-829-6104. You can also visitSandy in New Jersey to see thousands and thousands of sheets of music,most of which can be yours very reasonably. She is a marvelous resourceand a super-great lady! Having heard from only a few of our members over thepast year or so, Sandy wants to remind you that she’s still at it, adding to hercollection every day, and always willing to part with sheet music at especiallyfair prices for us. Sheet music was the reason we were founded thirty plusyears ago, after all, and she’s only a phone call or e-mail away. Sandycontinues to be willing to offer free appraisals with no expectation of havingright of first refusal and can provide unbiased advice as to how and where tosell music. It’s not a secret, pass it on please.

APSS board member Tom Toce has been named the new producer of WinterRhythms, the annual award-winning series of concerts and shows at UrbanStages, 259 West 30th St. Winter Rhythms 2018 will begin Wednesday,December 12, and run through Saturday, December 22, featuring some of NewYork’s best musical performances. There will be several “best of” events (Bestof Winter Rhythms itself, Best of the Harvard-Yale Cantata, Best of RickyRitzel’s Broadway); several new songwriters showcases (the New YorkSongwriters Alliance, New Musical Theater Songwriters, and the songs of theRussian composer Sergei Dreznin); tribute shows devoted to the Czechsoprano Jarmila Novotná, Nöel Coward, Madeline Kahn, Beatrice Lillie, andJohnny Mercer; a Night of Jazz and Blues with West African musician AbouLion Diarra; a solo cabaret show from Deb Berman; a duet cabaret show fromBrendan Eprile and Greg Driscoll; a concert by the legendary folk singer-songwriter Christine Lavin; two compilation shows produced by cabaretstalwart Sue Matsuki (The People You Should Know and The Art of Cabaret);a version of A Christmas Carol from songwriter Matt Corriel; a celebration ofthe season/survival guide from Beth Falcone and Ritt Henn; and a closingshow on December 22 devised by Tom called Songs of Hope, featuring DebBerman, Trazana Beverly, Douglas J. Cohen, Cynthia Crane, Cynthia Farrell,Eric Michael Gillett, Julie Gold, Ann Kittredge, Minda Larsen, and Sidney Myer,with Jon Delfin at the piano. Tickets are $30 for each show or $45 for twoshows in one day. Details and ticket information at www.urbanstages.org orby calling 1-866-811-4444.

October 13, 2018Alex Leonard presents Harry Warren

November 10, 2018Alan Jay Lerner with Amy Asch,KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler

December 8, 2018Celebrating Frank Sinatra on his birthday with

clips and songsJanuary 12, 2019Anderson TwinsFebruary 9, 2019

Barbara Cook show by Shana FarrMarch 9, 2019Ron FasslerApril 13, 2019

Celebrating Jazz MonthMay 11, 2019

Songwriter ShowcaseJune 8, 2019

Richard Skipper on TBA

P.O. Box 5856 • PIKESVILLE, MD 21282

Did you know every issue of this newsletteris in COLOR online at www.APSSinc.org

American PopularSong Society

2018 - 19 Season

DECEMBER 8thWill Friedwald's CLIP JOINT presents:

"FRANK SINATRA sings JIMMY VAN HEUSEN"Jimmy Van Heusen put more songs in Frank Sinatra's mouththan any other composer. But more than that, he served asthe singer's closest and best friend for multiple decades, andhe provided The Chairman of the Board with a role model, atemplate for how to act in his personal life. Sinatra's lifestyleof the 1950s and '60s, his years of high-rolling, cocktail-swigging, and skirt-chasing, were carefully patterned afterVan Heusen. This presentation will use rare concert andtelevision videos to show Frank Sinatra performing over adozen classic songs by his best bud, Jimmy Van Heusen."The trouble with Sinatra," Sammy Cahn famously said, "isthat he thinks he's Van Heusen!"

OCT - NOV - DEC is RENEWAL TIME

While the play was ashort-lived flop, this particulartune survived quite well.Barbara Lea, Klea Blackhurst,Bill Charlap, and ChrisConnor, among many, haverecorded the 1940 standard.This was not the first timeCarmichael was heard on theGreat White Way, however.Four years earlier, hecontributed the music for “Little Old Lady” from The Show isOn, whose other composers included Richard Rodgers, GeorgeGershwin, Harold Arlen, and Vernon Duke, who was primarilyresponsible for the score.

There’s perhaps only one person who has witnessed allof Carol Shedlin’s New York City based performances, LindaAmiel Burns, who happens to be her longtime Director. Butthose of us who have become fans relatively recently, have thebenefit of seeing Carol at the top of her game. Her long careeras a vocal artist has produced a polished, confident, poisedperformer, one with tons of presence, perfect diction, and astory telling ability second to none. Let’s hope that there’smuch more to come.

Carol ShedlinContinued from page 3