Walter Donaldson (songwriter)

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Walter Donaldson (February 15, 1893 – July 15, 1947)<ref name="LarkinGE">Template:Cite book</ref> was a prolific American popular songwriter and publishing company founder, composing many hit songs of the 1910s to 1940s, that have become standards and form part of the Great American Songbook.

History

Walter Donaldson was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of a piano teacher.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> While still in school he wrote original music for school productions,<ref name="LarkinGE"/> and had his first professional songs published in 1915. In 1918, he had his first major hit with "The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady".<ref name="LarkinGE"/>

During World War I, Donaldson entertained troops at Camp Upton, New York. His time there inspired him to write "How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)?"<ref>Holsinger, M. Paul, "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm?" (Song), War and American Popular Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. Edited by M Paul Holsinger, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999, Template:ISBN, p. 207</ref>

After serving in the United States Army in World War I, Donaldson was hired as a songwriter by Irving Berlin Music Company.<ref name="AMG">Template:Cite web</ref> He stayed with Berlin until 1928, producing many hit songs, then in 1928 established his own publishing company.<ref name="Rust">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> Although Walter Donaldson's company was officially known as "Donaldson, Douglas & Gumble, Inc.", it was printed in fine print alongside Walter Donaldson's name in every publication.

Donaldson frequently worked with lyricist Gus Kahn, after first working together in 1915.<ref name="Encyclopedia of Music">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Rust" />

Donaldson is primarily known as a composer, rather than as a lyricist, although he wrote words and music for dozens of songs.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> Among the big hits for which he wrote both words and music were "At Sundown" and "Little White Lies".<ref name="LarkinGE"/> In his prolific career, he published some 600 original songs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

At the end of the 1920s, Donaldson moved to Hollywood, California, and worked composing and arranging music for motion pictures.<ref name="LarkinGE"/><ref name="Rust" /> His film credits include work on such pictures as Glorifying the American Girl, Suzy, The Great Ziegfeld, Panama Hattie, Follow the Boys and What's Buzzin', Cousin?. He married Dorothy "Wally" in 1935, who was on the New York stage as Wanda Mansfield, but they divorced in 1942 after having two children.

Walter Donaldson retired in 1943,<ref name="AMG"/> and died four years later in Santa Monica, California,<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="Rust" /> after being ill for a year with kidney problems. He is buried at an unmarked grave at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Selected works

References

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Bibliography

  • Holsinger, M. Paul, "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm?" (Song) in War and American Popular Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. Edited by M Paul Holsinger, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999. Template:ISBN

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