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Bud Green
Vintage sheet music "Once in a While"
words by Bud Green
music by Michael Edwards
Tommy Dorsey on cover
Basic Information
Born: November 19, 1897 (Austria-Hungary)
Died: January 2, 1981 (age 83), Yonkers, New York
Primary songwriting role: lyricist and composer; also a music publisher
Overview and Commentary
Bud Green (The remainder of this section is currently in preparation)
Bud Green was raised in Harlem at the beginning of the 20th century after his family had emigrated from Austria where he was born. Writing was apparently a family penchant because Hannah Russell who wrote many scores for children's films was his sister and Bob Russell, a well known songwriter, was his brother. He's also the granduncle to Luther Russell a singer-songwriter of a later generation.
Green first worked as a writer for music publishers and by 1928 had written lyrics for songs like "Alabamy Bound," "That's My Weakness Now," which became a huge hit for Ukulele Ike and Helen Kane, as well as "I Love My Baby" and "In My Gondola," which are featured in music videos above. Green and Sam Stept became song publishers on their own eventually going to Hollywood and selling their company to Warner Bros.
Green left Hollywood to move back to Yonkers, New York, where he died in 1981.
"I Love My Baby," lyrics by Bud Green, Music by Harry Warren, 1926, performed by Elsie Carlyle
"In My Gondola," lyrics by Bud Green, music by Harry Warren, 1926, performed by Ted Lewis.
Bud Green and The Platters
"Once in a While" lyrics by Bud Green and music by Michael Edwards,
here performed by The Platters with Tony Williams* in a 1963 recording*
*Although Tony Williams had left the Platters by 1963 when "Once in a While" was recorded for a track on the album Sing of Your Moonlight Memories, "the master of this recording was sent to him and he overdubbed the lead vocal to create a new Platters recording with his lead. He did this for several tracks on the album." ILoveJenni47.
The Platters also recorded another Bud Green song, "Sentimental Journey" on the same album, also overdubbed by Williams.
ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, New York: American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Cattell/Bowker, Fourth edition, 1980 (dates, collaborators, shows/movies, songs, etc., entry pp. 198-199)
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Master List of Great American Songbook Songwriters
Names of songwriters who have written at least one song included in the Cafe Songbook Catalog of The Great American Songbook are listed below.
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, New York: Donald L. Fine, 1988. (entry: p. 164, plus other references to Bud Green).
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