Doc Pomus
| Doc Pomus | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jerome Solon Felder |
| Born |
June 27, 1925 Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States |
| Died | March 14, 1991 (aged 65) Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | Blues, rock and roll |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Associated acts | Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Mort Shuman |
Jerome Solon Felder (June 27, 1925 – March 14, 1991), known as Doc Pomus, was an American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lyricist of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer in 1992, the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1992), and the Blues Hall of Fame (2012).
Born Jerome Solon Felder in 1925 in Brooklyn, New York, he was a son of Jewish immigrants. Felder became a fan of the blues after hearing a Big Joe Turner record. Having had polio as a boy, he walked with the help of crutches. Later, due to post-polio syndrome, exacerbated by an accident, Felder eventually relied on a wheelchair.
His brother is New York attorney Raoul Felder.
Using the stage name "Doc Pomus", teenager Felder began performing as a blues singer. His stage name was not inspired by anyone in particular; he just thought it sounded better for a blues singer than the name Jerry Felder. Pomus stated that more often than not, he was the only Caucasian in the clubs, but that as a Jew and a polio victim, he felt a special "underdog" kinship with African Americans, while in turn the audiences both respected his courage and were impressed with his talent. Gigging at various clubs in and around New York City, Pomus often performed with the likes of Milt Jackson, Mickey Baker and King Curtis. Pomus recorded approximately 40 sides as a singer in the '40s and '50s for record companies such as Chess, Apollo, Gotham and others.
In the early 1950s, Pomus started writing magazine articles as well as songwriting for artists such as Lavern Baker, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles and Big Joe Turner to earn more money to support a family, after he had married Willi Burke, a Broadway actress. His first big songwriting break came when he chanced upon the Coasters' version of his "Young Blood" on a jukebox while on their honeymoon. Pomus wrote the song, then gave it to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who radically rewrote it. Still, Doc had co-credit as author, and he soon received a royalty check for $2500.00, which convinced him that songwriting was a career direction worth pursuing. By 1957, Pomus had given up performing for full-time songwriting. He collaborated with pianist Mort Shuman, whom he met when Shuman was dating Doc's younger cousin, to write for Hill & Range Music Co./Rumbalero Music at its offices in New York City's Brill Building. Pomus asked Shuman to write with him because Doc didn't then know much about rock and roll, whereas Mort was familiar with many popular artists of the day. Their songwriting efforts had Pomus write the lyrics and Shuman the melody, although often they worked on both. They wrote the hit songs "A Teenager in Love", "Save The Last Dance For Me", "Hushabye", "This Magic Moment", "Turn Me Loose", "Sweets For My Sweet" (a hit for The Drifters and then The Searchers (band)), "Go Jimmy Go", "Little Sister", "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Suspicion", "Surrender" and "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame".
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