George Gershwin
George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn on September 26, 1898, and began his musical training when he was 13. At 16 he quit high school to work as a "song plugger" for a music publisher, and soon he was writing songs himself.
Date of Birth: September 26, 1898
Date of Death: July 11, 1937 (38)
Birth Place: Brooklyn, NY
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BIO
George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn on September 26, 1898, and began his musical training when he was 13. At 16 he quit high school to work as a "song plugger" for a music publisher, and soon he was writing songs himself. "Swanee," as introduced by Al Jolson, brought George his first real fame and led to his writing a succession of 22 musical comedies, most with his older brother, Ira. The Gershwins' shows include Lady Be Good, Oh, Kay!, Strike Up the Band, Girl Crazy, and the Pulitzer Prize winning Of Thee I Sing. From his early career George had ambitions to compose serious music, and his classical masterpieces include "Rhapsody In Blue," "Concerto In F," "An American In Paris" and "Second Rhapsody." In the late '20s George became fascinated by the DuBose Heyward novel Porgy, recognizing it as a perfect vehicle for opera using jazz and blues idioms. The folk opera Porgy and Bess had its Broadway premiere in October of 1935. In 1937 George was at the height of his career. While working on the score of The Goldwyn Follies in Hollywood, he collapsed, and on July 11, died of a brain tumor. He was not quite 39 years old.
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George Gershwin
Connection
Movies
[ 1937 ] music by
[ 1938 ] music by
[ 1945 ] music
[ 1951 ] music by
[ 1957 ] songwriter
[ 1964 ] songs by
[ 2013 ] music
[ 2018 ] music and lyrics by
Awards and Nominations
George Gershwin, The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess
winner
George Gershwin, Crazy For You
Videos
Video: First Look at GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR at Farmers Alley Theatre
by Joshua Wright - 2026-04-22 15:31:56
Video: Brittany Renee And Ryan Speedo Green Sing From PORGY AND BESS At The Metropolitan Opera
by A.A. Cristi - 2025-12-29 20:41:17
News
by Rachel Stone - Aug 28, 2026
Pianist Lucas Debargue will release a double album dedicated to George Gershwin, pairing orchestral works with the Orchestre de Paris and original études inspired by Gershwin's songs.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 28, 2026
Violinist Joshua Bell will perform Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole as Alexander Shelley opens his inaugural season as Pacific Symphony's Artistic and Music Director at Segerstrom Concert Hall.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 27, 2026
The newly merged Third Coast Symphony will perform at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, featuring pianist Jeremy Vigil, a world premiere by Kareem Roustom, and a James Bond-themed holiday concert with vocalist Cheryl Wilson.
by Debbie Gilpin - Aug 27, 2026
This year’s Proms season has been awash with commemorations of America’s 250th anniversary, the entire season beginning with Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” - and that piece featuring at several other points in various ways across the festival. So it was about time that there was a concert wholly focused on American composers, and celebrating the country’s more romantic aspects. It was only fitting that Marin Alsop curated the programme and was there to conduct the Philharmonia Orchestra.
by Juan-Jose Gonzalez - Aug 26, 2026
El espectáculo clausura la 29.ª edición de Nits de Jazz con un recorrido por algunos de los títulos más emblemáticos de Broadway junto al Mediterráneo
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 24, 2026
Cape Town Opera will present PORGY AND BESS with London's Chineke! Orchestra, opening Sept. 11, 2026 at the Philharmonie de Paris and touring through Lucerne, Berlin, Antwerp and Dortmund by Sept. 18.
by Aliya Al-Hassan - Aug 23, 2026
Having only been established in 2015, it's important to remember the impact of the Chineke! Orchestra on classical music. Not only championing Black and ethnically diverse musicians, it also celebrates composers of Black and ethinically diverse heritage, giving deserved praise to often overlooked talent.
by Stephi Wild - Aug 21, 2026
Vocalist Hannah Rodriguez will join the Denver Concert Band for a program of jazz, Broadway, and marches from the 1920s, closing with Percy Grainger's LINCOLNSHIRE POSY.
by Stephi Wild - Aug 21, 2026
The Grammy-winning string quartet ETHEL will perform at the grand opening of The Cultural Center at St. John's in Greenpoint, launching a new chamber music series at the historic Brooklyn church.
by Louise Penn - Aug 21, 2026
American jazz trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire joins the BBC Concert Orchestra and Miho Hazama for a celebration of jazz legend Miles Davis on the centenary of his birth. Although diverse and enjoyable, it is a little less Davis and a little more everything else thanks to some over-orchestration.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 19, 2026
Los Angeles Ballet will open its 21st season with a debut performance at the Hollywood Bowl, marking the company's first appearance at the iconic Los Angeles venue.
by Elliot Lanes - Aug 20, 2026
One of the best way to celebrate America’s 250th birthday took place at Wolf Trap this past Saturday evening. The concert entitled Gershwin, Bernstein & American Mosaic featured great music from some of our most legendary composers as well as a new piece written by a modern day musical genius. All of this audible brilliance was executed superbly by YOUR National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) under the direction of Maestro Gianandrea Noseda.
by Rachel Stone - Aug 19, 2026
Capri Records will reissue guitarist Joshua Breakstone's debut album WONDERFUL!, featuring Barry Harris, Earl Sauls and Leroy Williams, out of print for nearly four decades and appearing on CD for the first time.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 17, 2026
M.A.D.D. Rhythms will mark its 25th anniversary with the Chicago Tap Summit at the Harold Washington Cultural Center, featuring premieres, classes, panels and a new documentary about the company.
by Rachel Stone - Aug 17, 2026
Pianist Mike Jones, music director for Penn & Teller, will release a live album revisiting the drummerless jazz trio tradition through Capri Records.
by Stephi Wild - Aug 12, 2026
Philanthropist Barbara Tober made her annual trip to East Hampton where she underwrote a concert with pianist Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner at LongHouse in honor of its founder, Jack Lenor Larsen’s birthday. Check out photos here!
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 6, 2026
Hershey Felder will return to People's Light with RACHMANINOFF AND THE TSAR, a musical drama starring Felder and Jonathan Silvestri as Russia's last emperor, for a limited engagement in Malvern.
by Stephi Wild - Aug 5, 2026
Jazz pianist Ron Drotos will return to Pangea with vocalists Lina Koutrakos, Dorian Woodruff, and Juliet Ewing for two evenings of jazz, bossa, ballads, and blues.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 3, 2026
Richard Atkins will perform a benefit concert at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, with proceeds supporting Education Through Music and a guest appearance by young Bronx pianist Jason Afovi.
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Aug 2, 2026
Over the years, Broadway has seen a number of family acts sharing the stage. It’s extra special when family members team up to write a Broadway show together. The Great White Way has seen many instances of this historically, in a variety of different situations. While last week’s column focused on spouses penning shows together, this week is all about blood relatives partnering to write work.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
George Gershwin has written 48 shows including Half-Past Eight (Composer), La, La, Lucille (Composer), La-La-Lucille! (Composer), Morris Gest's "Midnight Whirl" (Composer), George White's Scandals [1920] (Composer), Snapshots of 1921 (Composer), The Broadway Whirl (Composer), George White's Scandals [1921] (Composer), The French Doll (Composer), George White's Scandals [1922] (Composer), Our Nell (Composer), George White's Scandals [1923] (Composer), Sweet Little Devil (Composer), George White's Scandals [1924] (Composer), Primrose (Composer), Lady, Be Good (Composer), Tell Me More! (Composer), Tip-Toes (Composer), Song of the Flame (Composer), Oh, Kay! (Composer), Strike Up the Band (Composer), Funny Face (Composer), Rosalie (Composer), Treasure Girl (Composer), Show Girl (Composer), Girl Crazy (Composer), Of Thee I Sing (Composer), Pardon My English (Composer), Let 'Em Eat Cake (Composer), Porgy and Bess (Composer), All Points West (Composer), Who Cares? (Composer), Do It Again! (Composer), Mr. Words (Composer), My One and Only (Composer), Gertrude Stein and a Companion (Additional Music), Reaching for the Moon (Composer), Crazy for You (Composer), The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm (Composer/Lyricist), Jolson & Co. (Composer/Lyricist), American Rhapsody: A New Musical Revue (Composer), George Gershwin Alone (Composer/Lyricist), Elaine Stritch At Liberty (Composer), Stairway to Paradise (Sketches/Composer/Lyricist), The Gershwins' An American In Paris (Composer), Come Fly Away (Composer), Nice Work If You Can Get It (Composer), A Night With Janis Joplin (Composer).
George Gershwin has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. Some of his notable nominations include Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards for "The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess" and the American Express Award for Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards for "Crazy For You". These nominations highlight the recognition and acclaim that Gershwin's musical works have received in the industry.
George Gershwin has won the American Express Award for Best New Musical (Olivier Awards) for "Crazy For You".
