Jule Styne

Jule Styne was a composer who, with lyricist Sammy Cahn, wrote many hits during the 1940s, including "I've Heard That Song Before," "I'll Walk Alone," and "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" He then moved to Broadway, with credits such as Gypsy, Funny Girl, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Bells Are Ringing. In both phases of his career, he displayed a talent for writing songs crafted for specific singers, such that they were introduced and popularized by artists including Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Ethel Merman, and Barbra Streisand. Born in London, England, on the last day of 1905, Julius Kerwin Stein was the son of Russian immigrants Isadore and Anna (Kertman) Stein. His father was the proprietor of a butter-and-egg store. (He later altered his name to Jule Styne -- with his first name pronounced like the girl's name "Julie" -- to avoid being confused with Dr. Julius Stein, the head of the Music Corporation of America [MCA], a major theatrical booking agency.) He began taking piano lessons at the age of six, continuing them after the family immigrated to the U.S. and settled in Chicago, IL, in 1912, and proved to be a child prodigy. At nine, he performed as a soloist with the Chicago, Detroit, and St. Louis symphony orchestras. As he grew older, however, he turned out not to have the sort of large hands required for a concert pianist, and an injury to one of his fingers in an accident confirmed his decision to switch to less-demanding popular music, as he began to play in local bands during his early teens. At 16, he started writing songs, and just after turning 21 enjoyed his first hit in 1927 with "Sunday" (co-credited to Ned Miller, Chester Conn, and Benny Krueger), which was recorded by Cliff Edwards, Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra with vocals by the Keller...