Partnered with Harold Arlen for Cotton Club and Ellington band
Lyricist Ted Koehler was born in Washington, D.C. on July 14, 1894.
His early career as a pianist in film theatre led him to write special material for vaudeville singers and eventually produce his own nightclub shows. In the 1920’s, working in Manhattan, Koehler contributed to Broadway musicals such as 9:15 Revue, Earl Carroll Vanities of 1930 and 1932, Americana, Cotton Club Parade and Say When.
Moving to Hollywood in early 1930’s Koehler worked on several successful film musicals including Manhattan Parade, Let’s Fall In Love, King of Burlesque, The Big Show, Happy-Go-Lucky, Dimples, 23 Hours Leave, The King and the Chorus Girl, Artists & Models, Springtime In the Rockies, Start Cheering, Hollywood Canteen, Up In Arms, Rainbow Island, San Antonio, Week-End At the Waldorf, Earl Carroll Sketchbook, Janie Gets Married, Cheyenne, Summer Stock and Glory.
In his collaborations with some of the greatest Tin Pan Alley composers, most notably Harold Arlen, Koehler produced such memorable standards as “Stormy Weather”, “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”, “Get Happy”, “Kickin’ the Gong Around”, “I Love a Parade”, “I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues”, “I’ve Got the Whole World on a String”, “Happy as the Day is Long”, “Minnie the Moocher’s Wedding Day”, “Let’s Fall in Love”, “As Long As I Live”, “I’ll Wind”, “Some Sunday Morning”, “When the Sun Comes Out”, “The Moment I Laid Eyes on You”, “Now I Know”, “Tess’s Torch Song”, “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams”, “I Can’t Face the Music”, “Don’t Worry “Bout Me”, “Animal Crackers in My Soup”, “Stop, Your Breaking My Heart”, “I’m Shooting High”, “Linda”, “Spreadin’ Rhythm Around”, “Lovely Lady”, “Good for Nothin’ Joe” and “My Best Wishes”.
