Noted turn of the century Broadway playwright, librettist and lyricist wrote over thirty plays and musicals, and over 500 songs
Rida Johnson Young
Inductee
Born/Died
Inducted
Best-known lyrics include "Mother Machree"
Lyricist Rida Johnson Young was born on February 28, 1869 in Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating from Wilson College, Young chose a career as an actress, working with the Viola Allen Company and E.H. Sothern Broadway companies.
On Broadway, however, Young found her greatest talent was as a librettist and lyricist. She teamed with the greatest composers of her era including Sigmund Romberg, Victor Herbert and Rudolf Friml.
Her Broadway scores include Naughty Marietta, Lady Luxury, Her Soldier Boy, His Little Widows, Maytime, Sometime, Little Simplicity, Dream Girl and The Red Petticoat.
Young was also an accomplished playwright, writing books for the musicals The Girl That Came Out of the Night and Virginal.
Highlights from the Rida Young catalog include “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life”, “Mother Machree”, “Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!”, 'Neath the Southern Moon”, “I’m Falling in Love With Someone”, “Italian Street Song”, “The Road to Paradise”, “Will You Remember” and “My Dream Girl”.
Rida Johnson Young died in Stamford, Connecticut on May 8, 1926.
