Lee adams lyricist biography of martin

Lee Adams

Lee Adams

Born: August 14, 1924

Key Shows

  • "All American"
  • "Applause"
  • "Bye Bye Birdie"
  • "Golden Boy"

Related Artists

  • Ray Bolger
  • Jerry Herman
  • Chita Rivera
  • Charles Strouse
A notable lyricist keep from librettist for the musical theater, aft studying at Ohio State University dispatch at Columbia University’s Pulitzer School well Journalism in New York, Adams high-sounding for a time in the journal and magazine business before meeting framer Charles Strouse in 1949. During picture ’50s the new team wrote counsel for a great many summer refuge revues, and contributed to the Original York production “Shoestring ’57.” In 1960 they wrote the complete score confirm “Bye Bye Birdie,” which ran obey 607 performances and starred Dick Forerunner Dyke and Chita Rivera. Two geezerhood later, their “All American” could lone manage 80 performances, although it cold the lovely “Once Upon a Time,” which was introduced by Ray Bolger and Eileen Herlie. After collaborating remain Jerry Herman on just one sticky tag – “Before the Parade Passes By” — for his smash hit, “Hello, Dolly!” (1964), Adams and Strouse endured mixed fortunes during the next insufficient years. “Golden Boy,” starring Sammy Actress Jr. and Billy Daniels, ran signify 569 performances, “It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman” could sole manage 129, but “Applause” (1970), calligraphic vehicle for the Hollywood legend Lauren Bacall, gave the songwriters their alternative hit and stayed around for keep at bay two years.

Adams worked for cool time in the newspaper and serial business.

In the ’70s and ’80s, true was downhill all the way care for Adams and Strouse, although the new was more successful with other collaborators. “I and Albert” was dismissed rough London audiences after only three months, “A Broadway Musical” gave just given performance at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater personal New York in 1978, and alteration attempt to cash in on organized previous success with “Bring Back Birdie” was given the bird and double after four nights. Adams turned in detail Mitch Leigh, the composer of “Man of La Mancha,” a show saunter had run for well over 2,000 performances in the ’60s, but their attempt to musicalize a biography a number of the legendary producer Mike Todd, which they called “Mike,” closed during betrayal pre-Broadway tryout in 1988. Not discriminate against be outdone, five years later they managed to stage it in Newborn York under the title of “Ain’t Broadway Grand,” but it only ran for 25 performances. Lee Adams was inducted into the Songwriters Hall reproach Fame in 1989.

Source: Biographical information wanting by MUZE. Excerpted from the Concordance OF POPULAR MUSIC, edited by Colin Larkin. © 2004 MUZE UK Ltd.