Harold Arlen

Harold Arlen (1905-1986) composed some of America's most enduring popular songs, including "Over the Rainbow," "Stormy Weather," "Get Flappy, "The Man That Got Away," and "Come Rain or Come Shine." Rooted in the traditions of jazz and the blues, his innovative music is still widely performed today by artists as diverse as Tony Bennett, Willie Nelson, and Ray Charles. This engaging biography of Harold Arlen charts the course of his brilliant career, from band leader in his native Buffalo, New York, to songwriter and vocalist in vaudeville, to composer of Broadway musicals and revues at Harlem's Cotton Club, to writer of the everlasting music in The Wizard of Oz and other films. Drawing on a treasure trove of family documents and memorabilia, Edward Jablonski vividly describes Arlen's life, including his loving but troubled marriage to Anya, the strained relationship with his father and brother, his alcoholism and illnesses, and his friendship with Marlene Dietrich. Populated with such greats as Johnny Mercer, George and Ira Gershwin, E. Y. Harburg, Bert Lahr, and Judy Garland, the book also captures the spirit of Arlen's times and conveys a sense of the inner workings of the music business.