Salute To Jewish Songwriters At Linebaugh March 9 - April 20

 “A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs”  will be on display at the Linebaugh Public Library from March 9th through April 20th.  Songs such as “As Time Goes By,” “It Had to Be You,” and “Over the Rainbow” have captivated generations of audiences and remain beloved musical icons of American popular culture.

It will focus on song that were popular during the period 1910-1965.  Songs such as “As Time Goes By,” “It Had to Be You,” and “Over the Rainbow” have captivated generations of audiences and remain beloved musical icons of American popular culture.

A remarkably high percentage of them were Jewish, from families that had immigrated toAmerica in the 1800s or fled pogroms and persecution inEurope at the turn of the century.  “A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs, 1910-1965” tells their story, using lively and striking images from Broadway musicals, classic films, posters, and personal collections.

The first half of the twentieth century saw the invention of the radio, talking movies, and the long-playing records that helped artists and performers reach mass audiences. The sky was the limit for talented young people with big imaginations—young people such as Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein, and George Gershwin.

Irving Berlin, a cantor’s son, had no formal music training and could play piano in only one key, but he was one of the few composers who were talented at writing both music and lyrics. Berlin’s “God Bless America,” “White Christmas” and “Easter Parade” have become American anthems.  Jerome Kern composed the melodies for some of the world’s most revered love songs—“Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” and the saucy “A Fine Romance.”   “The King and I,” “Oklahoma,” and “South Pacific” are only a few of the enduring American musicals created by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.  George Gershwin wrote jazz-inflected orchestral pieces that bridged the gap between classical and popular music.  His “Rhapsody in Blue” and “An American in Paris” are still breathtaking to hear.

“A Fine Romance” is visiting 55 sites throughout the U.S. in 2011-2012, and the Linebaugh Libary here in Murfreesboro is one of them.

Linebaugh Branch Librarian Carol Ghattas said, “We are pleased Linebaugh Public Library was chosen as a site for this exhibit about a fascinating period of American popular music history. The many Jewish composers who helped to create the great American Songbook will never be forgotten.  Their compositions are a chronicle of American culture and history and their musical genius has made them immortal.  We hope the whole community will be able to see the exhibit and attend some of the programs we have planned to celebrate and enjoy their lives and their songs.”

Beginning with an afterhours opening at 6:30 Friday night, March 9th, Linebaugh is sponsoring a number of free programs and other events for the public in connection with the exhibit. Sponsorship partners for the exhibit events are the Center for Popular Music at MTSU and Friends of Linebaugh Library. Supplemental displays will be provided by the Center for Popular Music throughout the duration of the traveling exhibit. Contact Carol Ghattas at Linebaugh Library (615-893-4131, ext 119 or at cghattas@linebaugh.org) or visit www.linebaugh.org for more information. “A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs” will be on display until April 20, 2012.