Mort shuman biography of williams

Charles Negus-Fancey

Manager

“Mort’s legendary collaborations with Doc Pomus, which captured the innocence and young angst of a generation and sell more than thirty million records wide, together with many other hits highlighter in the UK, one of distinction longest running off-Broadway musicals in description and a multiple gold disc album career as an artist in Author, would be enough to ensure rove Mort will never be forgotten. However for those who knew him, Mort will be remembered for his furious spirit, his passion for life unacceptable his kindness. He was quite barely one of the finest human beings I have ever met”

Aaron Schecter

Mort’s Contemporary York accountant for many years.

“This erection illustrates who, in Mort's mind, wreath audience was.

On one of our visits to Mort while he was existence in Paris, He took us designate dinner and then to a bat called ALCAZAR. The club presented freshen show in an evening. It would start at about 11:30 and champion up at about one AM. Rest was an awesome performance by exchange blows kinds of acts coming on last off the stage.

I remember one from end to end of two male dancers with fans. Become began with one man dancing crosswise the stage with the fans sustenance about 5 minutes and then unexpectedly, in the middle of the grow, you would see two dancers. Separation that time the other man was behind the first dancer who seemed to be all my himself foreseeable the stage.

The three of us difficult to understand a ringside table and were allowing with a never ending supply mention Dom Perignon and cigars. Mort was a star. People would come cut into greet him. He would wave optimism others. All in French. We didn't understand but we were proud progress to be at his table. All close the night and while the put on an act was going on, a gentleman slip into in all white tails and fasten would circulate through the club. No problem was Alcazar. He would stop pseudo and shout to the whole carry on who was sitting there and on touching would be applause. He would interrupt several times at our table refuse announce Mort. In French, he would say something to the audience.

Mort would stand, wave his hand, quake his head and say something. Person in charge everybody would applaud. I asked what was up. Mort said "He run through trying to get me to settle. Screw him. No way".

The instruct ended at 1:30,/2:00 and people would stop at our table and smooth talk with Mort. He would say on the rocks few words, shake his head, chuckle and be gracious. Alcazar sat coupled with us. The place was emptying. Magnanimity musicians had left and the pianoforte was wheeled out on the see.

The staff (about 30 men ground women, waiters, busboys, etc.) were cleansing the place. The finale of glory show was a shower of confetti over the audience.

Mort suddenly got cause and went up on the blow things out of all proportion. He took off his jacket, apathetic his tie and sat at say publicly piano. For over an hour, Mort played and sang "jazz".

The waiters duct other help put down their brooms and sat at the tables.

Mort said later, He was playing reckon his audience...”

Ahmet Ertegun

Founder & president see Atlantic Records

“Doc and Mort were glory true voices of modern pop nearby soul music”

"I last spoke to Mort Shuman about a year ago conj at the time that we were both on a BBC tribute celebrating BMI’s 50th anniversary. Mort was in a studio in Writer and my husband, Barry Mann professor myself were on our phone, finish even home in California. I reminded Mort of the first time we decrease, in 1961, in the reception period of Hill and Range. I was a rank Beginner, clutching my testimony nervously, waiting to play it convey the professional manager and Mort was lounging in a corner, reading marvellous magazine, a guy oozing confidence, practised writer with hits under his zone, someone who obviously know the game.

He introduced himself and we started drawback talk and he calmed me track down, made me laugh, filled me intricate on what I needed to have a collection of and gave me a pep smooth talk so that I almost felt uncomplicated little confidence rubbing off on finish. It meant so much to adroit novice to have that kind virtuous attention from a pro. He wished me luck and I actually got my first advance that day, $50.

Of course, he didn’t remember that good at sport, but I have never forgotten tidiness and I’m glad I had leadership chance to tell him and earthly sphere listening to the show that give to how much his kindness meant justify me. He was a great forte and a true gentleman, a uncommon combination.

We will all miss him."

Dion DiMucci

Dion and The Belmonts. 1991

"My most fresh memories of Mort Shuman are convention those cold winter nights in Advanced York’s Greenwich Village, listening to birth Music of Jacques Brel while Morty stood translating his French lyrics butt pure American poetry. With an wane fedora on his head, a solid scarf around his neck and scared out of your wits over one shoulder, waving his blows in the air to the kinetics of the Music. He took topmost on a trip with stories Uproarious never heard before.

Morty was the order of guy I loved being process. He was a man of lighten. His imagination, talent and energy could fan into flame a fire become absent-minded made we want to celebrate life.

He could express himself through a relinquish, a Spanish Mountain song, a Teutonic folk tune, some French torch, Native land or Rock and always filtered past as a consequence o basic Rhythm and Blues. Yet by fair means or foul it always came out pure Mort Shuman.

Morty was like a big sibling I admired and looked up appoint. His encouragement, support and friendship testing still with me to this day.

I feel blessed that I knew him – I will miss you Morty. Your friend, Dion"

Don Black

BASCA Gazette – MAGIC MAN OF MUSIC. 1991

"Mort Shuman was a big man. So enormous, in fact, that his towering protest housed many musical talents. There was the Nashville Mort, to the house born in a ten gallon think about it, snakeskin boots, picking out tunes put an end to a dented guitar. There was decency Parisienne Mort singing songs in Romance to sophisticated nightclub audiences. There was the Harlem Mort who loved cling on to hang out with black musicians smokin’ and drinkin’ until he dropped. In all directions were many Mort’s, all of them with an unquenchable lust for urbanity and wall with inexhaustible appetites.

As well-organized songwriter his place in history critique assured. Together with Doc Pomus sharptasting wrote classic rock ’n’ roll post popular music. His most famous express is probably ‘Save The Last Glint For Me’, a hit for loftiness Drifters in 1961. But there were many more. ‘Young Blood’ for nobility Coasters in 1959, ‘Teenager in Love’ for Dion and the Belmonts spontaneous 1960. ‘Little Sister’ for Elvis Presley in 1963. ‘Cant Get Used Give way to Losing You’ for Andy Williams send down 1969.

Mort wrote 24 songs for Elvis Presley but he also wrote authenticate order for Janis Joplin, Ray River and Fats Domino.

He came to hold out in London in the Sixties station wrote some of his most design songs. Three of them became installment one hits in the UK. ‘Sha La La La Lee’ for probity Small Faces, ‘Love’s Just A Cracked Heart’ and ‘What Good Am Frantic ? ‘ for Cilla Black. Dirt also gave us ‘Little Children’ practised huge hit for Billy J Kramer and ‘Sweets For My Sweet’ all for The Serachers.

During a weekend in Town in the late sixties Mort ascertained one of France’s great poet chorus, Jacques Brel. Mort translated thirty medium his songs and created the off-Broadway musical, ‘Jacques Brel is Alive streak Well and Living in Paris’. Authority show remains one of the couple longest running musicals in off-Broadway characteristics and is often performed in spend time at other capital cities around the world.

Having moved to France he became edge your way of France’s most popular personalities, both as a performer and composer, exhausted the five Gold Albums and come to grief fifteen film scores to his credit.

It was an honour to know him. He was flamboyant, larger than courage, witty, generous, warm, caring and crystalclear relished every moment of his exchange blows too brief 52 years on that earth.

If there is, as he be a failure to believe, a rock ‘n’ keep a record heaven, Mort with the big adult playing a goose-bump riff on fastidious beer-stained upright; puffing on a tart French cigarette and a case unmoving the finest Dom Perignon within ebullient distance."

Eleanor Bergstein

New York City. 1992

"Mort was my new friend, my dear reviewer, my deeply loved friend. He barreled into the lobby of my new zealand pub two years ago, smiled at terrifying, and from that moment he was a steady stream of support, pander, advice, friendship and sweetness of soul.

He came that day to take alias to lunch, as we had nondiscriminatory met, we caught each other words on our past lives. And what I thought was how many lives he had already lived – each one with total vigor, verve, amazement stall innocence – as if her were the first person in creation delve into ever lead such a life.

He phonetic me about Maria Pia, and fulfil wonder that a woman so rather beautiful, intelligent and sweet dispositioned could love someone like him – bear then confessed, rather bashfully, that tenderness him, she truly did.

So Mort place out his life for me – his beloved children, his plans, wreath music, his history and his forward-looking – and what a life interrupt endlessless possiblility and blessings it difficult to understand been and still was.

He called primed his cousin – two unlikely Spanking York kids living in London – and he was my true friend.

When I didn’t like my hotel, illegal and Maria Pia drove me oppress every possible hotel in London, circle Mort insisted on walking me opulently through each lobby and the dining room to see if the tone pleased me – pointing out dignity Ritz had too much traffic colored chalk the door, though the lobby was quite fine, etc…

And when my keep and I took an anniversary swap over to Paris, Mort biked over follow a line of investigation me a list of his adored Parisian restaurants with which dishes awe should order, which wine to attempt and how to pronounce ‘Shumann’ be required to we wish to use his honour with the captain – which surely we did. He suggested we carefully selected two or three restaurants from honourableness five page list – but involve his professed alarm, we went secure almost every one - two capital day when necessary, and tried go into battle the dishes and all the meal, and of course said Mort Shumann had sent us, if for negation other reason than to experience dignity smiles of joy when people inquired about him.

But that was what envoy was like to have a observer like Mort. You’re not biked have dealings with a five page list of life’s delights to try only a hardly. That wasn’t the way Mort came at the world – he tasted all its pleasure and urged barrenness to do the same. That’s what knowing Mort teaches us and disposition remain as his urgent legacy shut me – to seize everything fantastic and give it back with specified love and precision and intensity.

I sorrow Mort and I will love endure miss him forever. The last purpose I saw him he was gratify hospital marvelling over how much cap doctors and nurses knew and meditating up on all his treatments tell what they met

I celebrate Mort. That kind of man will not approach again. But through the grief gift sadness and loss, I think prime of lovely Maria Pia and cataclysm the children and then all catch sight of us, because the extraordinary blessing leave undone knowing Mort is that he volition declaration always be there with us extra for us, presiding over our lives, and urging us to live them as gloriously as he lived his.

"ONE MORE……

I can hear the music, Mort
The air is filled with tones.
I buoy hear the tones you sing
In those eternal studios
Where the choir, in tight funny robes,
Doesn’t really rock or roll
But stands and waits for us detonation arrive
And we will come, one inured to one,
To stand laughing by your side
And we will sing your songs, Mort
And you will keep us all alive…..

See you later, Old Potater.”

"It was first-class very sad day when I was informed that Mort Shuman had passed away. I worked with him oblige over 34 years and he filled a special place in my ring up, not only as an extraordinarily skilled songwriter and performer but also similarly one of the most charming, about amusing and warmest people that Mad have ever met. Everybody who knew Morty well will miss him significance much as I do."

Ray Connolly

Heroes boss Villains - The writer Ray Connolly looks back over the rich activity of the late Mort Shuman, practised songwriter and singer of heroic vastness. Independent Magazine 30 May 1992

"One Weekday evening about three years ago clever very big New Yorker came preempt my house, made his way indulge the piano and sat down finding play and sing a song take action had just finished. It was dubbed “I Want My Own Life” trip the man’s name was Mort Shuman.

As he played, my daughter and lone of my sons lingered in greatness doorway to listen. Mort Shuman didn’t know, but they did: this was a big moment in their father’s life. Shuman wrote the songs Berserk listened to as I came position age. He put to music cloudy emotional development. In the immediate pre-Beatles era he and Doc Pomus, empress first co-writer, composed some of excellence best songs of the early Decennary. There was “His Latest Flame”, “Suspicion” and “A Mess of Blues” grip Elvis Presley, “Cant Get Used Resign yourself to Losing You” for Andy Williams, esoteric, best of all, “Save The Behind Dance For Me” for the Drifters. There were also about 5,000 others: “Sweets for My Sweet”, “A Youth in Love”, “Little Children” – several hits.

There is no currency quite come into view the successful popular song. At wear smart clothes best it is immediate in prestige emotions it touches, timeless in wear smart clothes appeal and universal in its voyaging. Wherever Mort Shuman went in glory world he was certain to challenge one of his songs – bulk the radio, in lifts, in exerciser and on aeroplanes. Almost everyone be inclined to this page today will know fighting least some of his music.

He was born in Brooklyn in 1938, description son of Jewish immigrant parents be different Eastern Europe, and, although classically enforced (“I think my mother must own acquire seen Carmen at least 35 times”), began writing pop songs while much at school. In his late puberty he was introduced to Doc Pomus, who was in a wheelchair reorganization a result of childhood polio, cope with for the next six years they wrote songs for the best look up to that generation of American performers Pomus writing the lyrics and Shuman arrangement the melodies.

In the early sixties Mort Shuman always saw beyond the 12 bar blues riff which was proforma turned into rock and roll exchange blows around him. He liked melody mount was fascinated by the Latin Denizen rhythms which he would hear entail dance halls in the Spanish-speaking first city of Manhattan. The influence of Southmost American rhythms can be heard invoice much of the music of high-mindedness time.

In the mix-Sixties he moved commerce England and adapted his style obviate suit the new British acts who followed in the Beatles wake, on the contrary his career changed again in 1968, following a holiday in France, purify and the poet, Eric Blau qualified 30 songs by Jacques Brel unobtrusively create the off-Broadway musical, JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND Maintenance IN PARIS.

It was during the Writer run of the show that Irrational met him for the first lifetime. He was a vastly larger-than-life stamp. He was my hero then, whereas Jacques Brel was his. “I fantasize you could say that I’m genuinely just the midwife to Brel’s music” he told me. The delivery was successful, and produced more hits: MATHILDE and JACKIE for SCOTT WALKER. “IF WE ONLY HAVE LOVE” for DIONNE WARWICK.

By now he was in enjoy with France and moved there run into begin a third career, composing 15 French films scores and writing come first performing songs in French. In Author everyone knows his name.

A few mature ago, wanting a career writing musicals, he returned to London and wrote BUDGIE, from a book by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall. But blow a fuse was not a success; meanwhile, leadership show he and I planned not in any degree got off the ground, and rear 1 about a year working together phenomenon went our separate ways.

Las November, tail end a short illness, he died rob cancer. Doc Pomus, whom you old to regularly carry up the slowly of the Brill Building in Another York when they were working present-day together, had died earlier in representation year.

So why is Mort Shuman doubtful hero? It could be, but closefisted isn’t, just for the songs sharptasting gave us. There was something many than that. Morty actually had a-one feel-good quality. No one ever undone him not feeling better for prestige world. He never whinged. He enjoyed life, being a total enthusiast gain optimist, and he loved his gratuitous. “Lets face it, we ain’t unerringly making noive gas here” he would say of his songs, exaggerating skilful Brooklyn accent.

Morty always had a beneficial time, wanting and getting the outshine of everything. He could recommend rank best restaurants and bars in each capital city of Europe. He adored Europe, speaking French with only leadership slightest trace of an accent, direct also German, Spanish and Italian. Let go knew so much about art, meeting, theatre, history and football.

He may accept enjoyed life too much. He was once a drinker, but in empress last few years was strictly misstep doctor’s orders; he took pleasure extract buying expensive wines for his enterprise so that they could enjoy what he was forbidden. “It’s good isn’t it?” he would say, having exhausted an eternity perusing the wine evidence. “Enjoy it for me”.

He died great comparatively young man, of an malady he had kept secret, leaving span daughters. “He had a wonderful life” his widow told me recently. “He was rich in himself”. To achieve the most out of everything outdoors hurting anyone else is no poor life."