Alan Silvestri
b: March 26, 1950, New York, NY, USA.
Currently No Information Available
Alan has been most active in the Hollywood studios where he has contributed to well over 80 films. He is well known for always contributing musical scores for Director/Producer Robert Zemeckis' (b: May 14, 1952, NYC. Zemeckis is a 'whiz-kid' with special effects, and is well known for producing most of Steven Spielberg's films.)

   Sunny Skylar
b. Oct. 11, 1913, New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA.
né: Selig Shaftel
One visitor to our site (Mr. Robert Klein) has noted the ASCAP biography on Lyricist Skylar points out that, over his career, he worked not only as a composer, but also as a singer, author, and publisher. One of the anomalies of Pop music history is that Sunny Skylar is not better known. (Sunny may have composed a few thousand songs, A very, very, small sampling of this very prolific composer's titles are (Alphabetically arranged) shown below.) As a singer, he appeared with such orchestras as Ben Bernie, Paul Whiteman, Abe Lyman, and Vincent Lopez. When the Big Bands era closed, Sunny went right on warbling, from 1949-1952, in the Nightclub and theatre circuit. In 1946, Sunny was one of the major attactions on the Las Vegas 'Strip'. (So were "The Merry Macs" vocal group.)

As a lyricist, Sunny contributed to a fair number of films. One is the 1947 'flick' "Carnival In Costa Rica", which starred crooner Dick Haymes as the hero. It was one of those delightfully entertaining films of the era that brought happiness to the viewers, who could then completely forget it upon departing the theatre. Skylar, collaborating with composer Albert Stillman, contributed the song "Costa Rica". Among the other composers who contributed original Music were lyricist L. Wolfe Gilbert (song "Maria My Own"), Charles O'Flynn (song "Jungle Drums (Canto Karibali)"), Harry Ruby, and Ernesto Lecuona.. Lecuona also conducted the band in the film. One interesting sidelight is that the uncredited "famous dancer" appearing with Vera Lynn in the opening scenes was Leonide Massine.

Another film of particular is the 1950 film "Singing Bandit", for which Skylar was an uncredited lyricist. The film starred bandleader/vocalist Vaughn Monroe as the (imaginary) western outlaw 'Rhiannon', -who robs from the rich and keeps it. The three people who are ultimately responsible for his capture are saloon keeper Nan Morgan (played by vocalist Ella Raines), plus character actors Walter Brennan and Ward Bond. Watching Monroe emote, one had the clear impression that his strong suit was singing. (The film was based, -rather loosely, on a novel by Max Brand.)

At one time, Skylar also worked as a 'Consultant' for foreign songs to Southern Music Co., before he moved to Brazil in 1965.

A partial list of his songwriting credits would include:
       "A Little Consideration" recorded by 'Art Kassel and his 'Castles in the AIr Orchestra' on "Vogue Picture Records". ( Reverse )
       "Adi Adios Amigo"
       "Ain't No In Between"
       "All Around The Christmas Tree"
       "All My Life, I'll Give You All My Love"
       "All The Time"
       "Amanha"
       "And So To Sleep Again"
       "Are These Really Mine"
       "As Long As You're Mine"
       "Atlanta, GA" (Sheet music claims "Words and Music by Sunny Skylar & "Artie" Shaftel.) Cute! (my quotes.)
       "Autumn Tears"
       "B'Gilly, B'Golly, B'Gorrah"
       "Babette"
       "Baby Come Home"
       "Be Fair With Me"
       "Be My Darling Once Again"
       "Be Sweet Tonight"
       "Besame Mucho" (co-composed with Consuelo Velazquez)
       "Cafe De Paree"
       "Can't I Just Pretend"
       "Chiqui, Chaqui"
       "Christmas Lullaby"
       "Cisco Kid Rhumba"
       "Cuban Lullaby"
       "Dear Gesu Bambino"
       "Did You Mean It"
       "Eileen"
       "Eleanor"
       "Eso Es Amor"
       "Espresso"
       "Fee Fi Fiddle Ee I O"
       "Fifteen Minute Intermission" ( Co-composed with Bette Cannon)
       "Gonna Go Back To Texas"
       "(It's) Gotta Be This Or That"
       "Hep Senorita"
       "I Can't Forget You"
       "I Love You In Six Eight Time"
       "I'm In Love With The Man In The Moon"
       "It Must Be Jelly 'Cause Jam Don't Shake Like That"
       "It's All Over Now"
       "It Was Great While It Lasted"
       "Jeannie"
       "Linda Em Noite Linda Melinda"
       "Linger In My Arms"
       "Little Liza Lou"
       "Long Time No See, Baby"
       "Louisville, KY"
       "Love Is You"
       "Love Me With All Your Heart" ("Cuando Calienta El Sol") co-composed with Carlos Rigual, and Carlos A.Martinoli.
       "Ma Ma Marie"
       "Mandolino Mandolino"
       "March of The Regiment"
       "Marguerita"
       "Marian"
       "Marjolaina"
       "May The Angels Be With You"
       "Mein Kleiner Spatz"
       "Merci Beaucoup"
       "Mexicali Trail"
       "Miss July"
       "Mississippi Flyer"
       "Mississippi Gal"
       "Moment In The Moonglow"
       "Move It Over"
       "Mucho Mucho"
       "My Dearest"
       "My Heart Is Breaking"
       "My Little Green Parrot"
       "My Love"
       "My Love Is A Sparrow"
       "My Love, My Life, My Own"
       "My Love Song"
       "Put That Ring On My Finger" (co-composed with Randy Ryan). Also recorded by 'Clyde McCoy and his Orchestra' on "Vogue Picture Records".
               ( Reverse. )
       "Till My Ship Comes In"
       "Tillie The Toiler"
       "Tintarella Di Luna"
       "To The Left, Up The Block"
       "Too Many Times"
       "Too Much"
       "Too Soon"
       "Too Tall"
       "True"
       "Trying To Forget"
       "(The) Twentieth of May"
       "Until"
       "Vienni Su"
       "Village In Capri"
       "Waiting For The Train to Come In" (Sheet music lists famed New York city DJ Martin Block as co-composer)
       "Walk The Lonesome Night"
       "Wandering Heart"
       "Watching The World Go By"
       "What a Night"
       "What D'Ya Say"
       "What's Up Doc"
       "Whatta Ya Gonna Do"
       "When I Look At You"
       "When I'm Gone"
       "When The Saints Go Marching"
       "When You Go Out"
       "When You're Away"
       "Where You Are I Have To Be"
"       Whistler's Serenade"
       "Whistlin' In The Rain"
       "Who Cares"
       "Who Knows"
       "Who's That Knocking At My Door"
       "With These Rings"
       "Within Your Arms"
       "Yip Yip Shuffle"
       "Yo O'Rinty"
       "You"
       "You and You Alone"
       "You Are My Love"
       "You Have My Sympathy"
       "You're Breaking My Heart"
       "Your Happiness Is Mine"

   A. Baldwin Sloane
b. Aug. 28, 1872, Baltimore, MD d. Feb. 21, 1926, Red Bank, N.J.
Although Baldwin attended the Baltimore public school system, he studied music with private tutors. After graduating high school, he was hired by the 'Paint and Powder Club' where he wrote scores for their operetta productions, before leaving for New York City in the early 1890's.

Baldwin had some of his songs published in New York before 1900:
1894 "While Strolling Through the Forest"
1888 "When You Ain't Got No More Money, Well You Needn't Come 'Round", lyric by

       Clarence S. Brewster. This song was a big hit for the popular vaudevillian, May Irwin.
1889 "Lazy Bill"
       "I'm Looking for an Angel"

1900 Sloane scored three Broadway shows, 'Broadway To Tokyo', with a hit song,
       "Susie, Ma Sue", lyric by George V. Hobart 'Aunt Hannah'
        "My Tiger Lily", lyric by Clay M. Greene 'A Million Dollars'

1902 Sloane wrote two more successes.
'The Belle Of Broadway', with the song,
       "There's A Little Street in Heaven", lyric Sidney Rosenfeld
'The Mocking Bird'
       "What's the Matter With The Moon Tonight", lyric Rosenfeld

1903 Sloane has his greatest success with the show, 'The Wizard of Oz'

Mr. James Doyle has been kind enough to point out a bit of confusion regarding this show. Programs of the time credit L. Frank Baum (author of the 'Oz' Books) with "Book and Lyrics", but only the basic score by Paul Tietjens had Baum lyrics. Many of the tunes were contributions of others.

Baldwin Sloane's numbers for the show, were:
       "Niccolo's Piccolo"
       "In Michigan"
       "Carrie Barry"
       "Ball of the Nations (Medley)", and
       "Star of My Native Land"
All had lyrics by Glen MacDonough or Edgar Smith (lyricist for Sloane's biggest 'hit', "Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl").

Actually, Vincent Bryan, James O'Dea (Anne Caldwell's husband) and Gus Edwards were probably represented better than anyone over the long run and tour of the show. There were over 25 interpolated songs coming and going from the show between 1902-1911.
(The Database thanks Mr. James Doyle for these notes on the 'Wizard of Oz' show.)

In the ensuing years, Sloanes music was heard in a succession of Broadway shows, including:
1904 'Lady Teazle', Lillian Russell starred in this musical adaptation of Sheridan's 'School For Scandal'.
1905 'The Gingerbread Man'
1906 'Coming Through the Rye'
1907 'The Mimic and The Maid'
1909 'Tillie's Nightmare', starred Marie Dressler singing Sloane's greatest song
       "Heaven Will Protect The Working Girl", lyric Edgar Smith.
       "Life is Only What You Make It After All", lryic Edg. Smith.
1910 'The Summer Widowers', starring Lew FIelds and Irene Franklin,
       "On the Boardwalk"
       "Those Were The Happy Days"
       'The Prince of Bohemia',
1911 'The Hen Pecks', starring Lew Fields and Vernon Castle
       "White Light Alley", lyric by Glen MacDonough
       "June", lyric by Glen MacDonough
1912 'Hokey Pokey', The famed vaudevillians Weber and Fields were briefly re-united in this musical after an eight year separation.
       'Hanky-Panky'
       'Roly-Poly'
       'The Sun Dodgers'
1918 'Ladies First', starring Nora Bayes
1919 'The Greenwich Village Follies of 1919'
       "I Want A Daddy Who Will Rock Me To Sleep", lyric Arthur Swanstrom.
1920 'The Greenwich Village Follies of 1920'
       "Just Sweet Sixteen", lyric by Arthur Swanstrom.

1924 'China Rose' was Sloane's last Broadway musical. A box office flop.
In 1926, Sloane died in Red Bank, N. J. He was 70 years old.

   Beasley Smith
b: Sept. 27, 1901, McEwen, TN, USA. d: May 14, 1968, Nashville, TN. USA
Overview
From the 1930's on, Beasley Smith, a graduate of Peabody College and Vanderbilt University, was active in the 'country' music business. He was based in Nashville, TN, and his career encompassed bandleading, composing, music publishing, and finally an arranger for 'Dot Records' company.

Brief Chronology:
1922 - formed first orchestra
1935-1955 - musical conductor at WSM
1953-1969 - president of Randy-Smith Music Corp.
1960s - worked as an arranger and in A&R for Dot Records

Perhaps his best known songs are:
       "That Lucky Old Sun", with Haven Gillespie
       "Beg Your Pardon", with Francis Craig
       "Night Train To Memphis", with Marvin Hughes and Owen Bradley
       "Old Master PAinter", with Haven Gillespie
       "Deliver Me To Tennessee"
       "Rosie"
       "Sunday Down In Tennessee"
       "God's Country"
       "My Bashful Nashville Gal From Tennessee"
       "My Heart Keeps Telling Me"
       "Tennessee Hillbilly Ghost"
       "I'd Rather Die Young"
       "That Lucky Old Sun" (1949)
We thank Mr. William Frisch (Radio Station WSHR) for submitting this information on Beasley Smith.

   Elie Siegmeister
b: January 15, 1909, New York, NY, USA, d: 1991.
Siegmeister was born in New York into an upper- middle-class family of Russian-Jewish origin. The young Elie was deeply influenced by his father's love of classical music. Like Aaron Copland, Siegmeister was also raised in Brooklyn, NY. ( In later years, Copland paid a 'left handed' compliment -in print- when he acknowledged Siegmeister as being "crude but effective".) At age 15, he entered Columbia University in New York and studied theory and composition with Bingham until 1927, when he traveled to Paris and studied with Nadia Boulanger for 4 years. From 1935-'38, back in New York, he studied conducting at the famed Julliard school under Stoessel.

In 1937, he helped found the American Composers Alliance. He then joined the Composers Collective of NY, a communist oriented group (trying to introduce "classical" music to students and workers), and used the pseudonym of L.E. Swift for songs written while a member of the Composers' Collective. (He was listed in the 2nd Workers' Songbook as Swift.) Two American publications, the communist newspaper The Daily Worker, and New Masses, a magazine some have described as leftist leaning, often reported on Siegmeister's work. At this time, he also wrote an extended social history of music Music and Society.

He and Ashley Pettis traveled to Russia to explore Russian proletarian music. They believed there were no appropriate English songs for "the workers" and wanted to use Russian music as a model. In 1934, Siegmeister described Russian composers as: "A highly skilled and hence socially valuable worker." However, by 1940, Siegmeister's connection with the Communist party began to wain. (Doubtlessly, World War II had some affect on his thinking.)

In common with other composers of this period, Siegmeister began to look at Folk Music for compositional inspiration. He was greatly impressed by Carl Sandburg's folk song anthology The American Songbook. Most all of his early and mid-1930s compositions reflected a concern for problems of American society. By the late 1930s, influenced by his folk song interest, his compositions (such as "American Holiday") began to reflect American musical traditions, rather than problems. He was anxious to be in close contact with rural life. In his Folk Music fervor, he formed, arranged, and conducted the music for the 'Ballad Singers' (folk song performers) that traveled around the U.S.A. for four years. Still, while all facets of Siegmeister's career --editor, composer, writer, and performer-- were affected by folk music, he did indeed write for all the media, including opera, band, orchestra, theater and film, -composing many solo and chamber works.

In the 1930s, he scored the Broadway musical, Sing Out, Sweet Land. For the 1939 New York City Worlds Fair concert series, he composed "Floor-Walkers Day Off", a whimisical ditty abour department store workers of a bygone time, and "Spring Fever on a Ferry Boat". Among his compositions written in the 1940s are "Sunday in Brooklyn", "Wilderness Road", and "Prairie Legend". In 1943, he composed "Ozark Set", and on Nov. 23, 1945, his "Western Suite" was debuted by Arturo Toscanini leading the NBC Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he has written 5 symphonies (the 4th was premiered by conductor Loren Maazel). Violinist Cho Liang Lin debuted his violin concerto. Some of his works are in an avant-garde style, while others are quite conventional. This writer is especially fond of Siegmeister's score for the 1959 film They Came From Cordura, which starred Gary Cooper and Rita Hayworth. In 1985,he wrote the five-part suite "From These Shores". The five sections fo this suite are named after five American authors -- Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Thoreau, Langston Hughes, and William Faulkner --and the music is based on specific passages originally written by each author.

From the 1930s on, Elie Siegmeister had been a significant part of American music. He had enjoyed a multi-faceted career which, besides his composing, also included teaching posts at Brooklyn College, The New School for Social Research, University of Minnesota, and Hofstra University. His awards and commissions include those from the National Education Association, Ford Foundation, American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the Library of Congress. Yet, despite a productive career --as performer, educator and composer, Siegmeister's name is almost unknown to the wider public