He was a composer and lyricist born Jerold Rosenberg in the Bronx, New York City, to Russian immigrant parents. While he was young he was known as the “Boy Star” when he sang and acted in the Yiddish theater.
He studied at New York University and after being acquainted with music publishers through the singer Eddie Fisher he began his songwriting career. In 1950 he started a collaboration with Richard Adler and together their musical works for Broadway became highly successful with The Pajama Game and Damn Yankees both winning Tony Awards.
His popular songs which made the charts, either written solo or in collaboration, included “Hernando’s Hideaway”, “Hey There”, “Steam Heat”, “The Newspaper Song” and “Rags to Riches”.
While still only 29 years old, he sadly died from complications of the lung complaint, bronchiectasis, on 11th November 1955. He was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 1982.
Boston Pops Orchestra Recordings
Hernando’s Hideaway (Richard Adler/Jerry Ross)
RCA 68793 (CD: Boston Tea Party)
Conductor– Arthur Fiedler
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