The Music of Jerome KernFrom Songwriters Hall of Fame:
 "Jerome Kern was born in New York City on January 27, 1885. Growing up in the middle-class atmosphere of East 56th Street, he attended public schools. His first music teacher was his mother, followed by studies at the New York College of Music (1902-3) and further musical studies in Heidelberg, Germany (1903-4)...
"In 1927, Kern teamed with Oscar Hammerstein II and the two adapted Edna Ferber's novel into one of the greatest of all American musicals: Show Boat. Show Boat pioneered the concept of the fully integrated musical, with all aspects of the show working together toward a single artistic unity. Among the songs introduced in Show Boat were 'Old Man River,' 'Bill' (a lyric by P.G. Wodehouse, originally written for one of the Princess [Theater] musicals, and revised by Oscar Hammerstein II), 'Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man,' 'Make Believe,' and 'Why Do I Love You?'...
"In 1935, Kern went to Hollywood, where he spent most of the rest of his career, writing some of his very best music. For the 1935 film of Roberta he wrote 'I Won't Dance' (originally written for Roberta's London production, but with new words by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh). For [the Fred Astaire - Ginger Rogers feature film] Swing Time (1936) he wrote 'A Fine Romance' and 'The Way You Look Tonight' (both with lyrics by Dorothy Fields). 'The Way You Look Tonight' earned the Fields-Kern team an Academy Award for best song in 1936..."
SIDEBAR: According to Wikipedia, Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead was named after Jerome Kern.
Someday,
Yes, you're lovely
With each word your tenderness grows,
Lovely,
SIDEBAR: "The Way You Look Tonight" has been rendered beautifully by an eclectic mix of some of the world's best performers. Notably, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, James Taylor and recently by Michael Buble. The song has also been covered hundreds of times by the greatest of jazz interpreters including Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Ella Fitzgerald, to name just a few.
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