Roy Turk
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Roy Turk | |
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Born | Roy Kenneth Turk September 20, 1892 New York City, New York, United States |
Died | November 30, 1934 Hollywood, California, United States | (aged 42)
Occupation | Songwriter and lyricist |
Years active | 1920s–1930s |
Style | Traditional pop, cast recordings, show tunes, vaudeville, vocal music |
Roy Kenneth Turk (September 20, 1892 – November 30, 1934) was an American songwriter and lyricist, he frequently collaborated with composer Fred E. Ahlert – their popular 1929 song "Mean to Me" has become a jazz standard. He worked with many other composers, including for film lyrics. Turk was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.
Overview[]
Among his compositions (with music by Fred Ahlert unless otherwise noted):
- 1923 - "My Sweetie Went Away" (music by Lou Handman)
- 1927 - "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (music by Lou Handman) popularized in 1960 by Elvis Presley
- 1928 - "I'll Get By (as Long as I Have You)"
- 1928 - "Mean to Me"
- 1931 - "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)"
- 1931 - "Walkin' My Baby Back Home"
- 1931 - "Where the Blue of the Night (Meets the Gold of the Day)" for Bing Crosby
- 1932 - "Love, You Funny Thing!"
He also worked with composers such as Harry Akst, George W. Meyer, Charles Tobias, Arthur Johnston, Maceo Pinkard, and J. Russell Robinson.
References[]
- The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, Third edition, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, New York (1966)
- ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, Fourth edition, compiled for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, by Jaques Cattell Press, R.R. Bowker, New York (1980)
- The Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz, 1900–1950, Three volumes, by Roger D. Kinkle, Arlington House Publishers, New Rochelle, New York (1974)
- Songwriters. A biographical dictionary with discographies, by Nigel Harrison, McFarland & Co., Jefferson, North Carolina (1998)
- Sweet and Lowdown. America's popular songwriters, by Warren Craig, Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, New Jersey (1978), Biographies appear in the 'After Tin Pan Alley' section, beginning on page 91
- American Popular Songs. From the Revolutionary War to the present, edited by David Ewen, Random House, New York (1966)
External links[]
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Roy Turk |
- Biography of Roy Turk at the Songwriters Hall of Fame
- Roy Turk recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
Categories:
- Jewish American songwriters
- American lyricists
- Songwriters from New York (state)
- 1892 births
- 1934 deaths
- 20th-century American musicians
- Songwriter stubs