He was a prolific ragtime composer born in Mexico, New York, who studied at the School of Harmony and Composition at Syracuse University and during that time his first music was published.
He moved to New York City and wrote music for Tin Pan Alley and entered into journalism, writing his own column, “Just Between You and Me” in the magazine The Tuneful Yankee from 1917 which would later become Melody.
From 1919 he often worked in collaboration with the lyricist Jack Yellen on songs such as “Bring Me Back My Lovin’ Honey Boy” and is best known for “The Russian Rag” which was based on Rachmaninov’s “Prelude in C Sharp Minor”, “Are You From Dixie?” and “Alabama Jubilee” and the hit song “All Aboard for Dixieland”.
After an absence of over ten years he wrote his last piece, “Uncle Sam Goes to Town (Mow ’em Down, Mow ’em Down, Mow ’em Down, Mow ’em Down)” in 1942.
He died of coronary thrombosis on Christmas Day in 1942, aged 56.
The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra recordings
Bring Me Back My Lovin’ Honey Boy (George Linus Cobb/Jack Yellen)
Newport Classic NC 60069
Conductor – Rick Benjamin
Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_L._Cobb
- http://www.grainger.de/music/composers/cobbgl.html
- http://perfessorbill.com/pbmidi7.shtml
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/886272-George-Cobb
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/george-l-cobb-mn0000650402