
Georgia on My Mind, Rockin' Chair, Skylark, Lazybones, and of course the incomparable Star Dust--who else could have composed these classic American songs but Hoagy Carmichael? He remains, for millions, the voice of heartland America, eternal counterpoint to the urban sensibility of Cole Porter and George Gershwin. Now, trumpeter and historian Richard M. Sudhalter has penned the first book-length biography of the man Alec Wilder hailed as "the most talented, inventive, sophisticated and jazz-oriented of all the great songwriters--the greatest of the great craftsmen." Stardust Melody follows Carmichael from his roaring-twenties Indiana youth to bandstands and recording studios across the nation, playing piano and singing alongside jazz greats Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, and close friends Bix Beiderbecke and Louis Armstrong. It illuminates his peak Hollywood years, starring in such films as To Have and Have Not and The Best Years of Our Lives, and on radio, records and TV. With compassionate insight Sudhalter depicts Hoagy's triumphs and tragedies, and his mounting despair as rock-and-roll drowns out and lays waste to the last days of a brilliant career. With an insider's clarity Sudhalter explores the songs themselves, still fresh and appealing while reminding us of our innocent American yesterdays. Drawing on Carmichael's private papers and on interviews with family, friends and colleagues, he reveals that "The Old Music Master" was almost as gifted a wordsmith as a shaper of melodies. In all, Stardust Melody offers a richly textured portrait of one of our greatest musical figures, an inspiring American icon.
This biography investigates the life and creative process of Hoagy Carmichael, seeking to define his unique contribution to the American songbook. Richard M. Sudhalter, a professional trumpeter and music historian, utilizes his dual perspective to analyze Carmichael's career. The book argues that Carmichael served as a vital, heartland-focused counterpoint to the urban songwriting styles of his contemporaries like Cole Porter and George Gershwin. Sudhalter examines how Carmichael's jazz-oriented sensibilities shaped his most enduring compositions.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Critics and music historians frequently cite this work as the definitive biography of Carmichael due to Sudhalter's unique access to private papers and personal interviews. Readers often note the balance between technical musical analysis and biographical narrative, making it a standard reference for those interested in 20th-century American popular music.
Page Count:
448
Publication Date:
2003-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190290749
ISBN-13:
9780190290740
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