Robert Waltrip Short (September 15, 1924 – March 21, 2005) was an American

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...

singer and pianist, who interpreted songs by popular composers from the first half of the 20th century such as

Rodgers and Hart Rodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership between composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and the lyricist Lorenz Hart (1895–1943). They worked together on 28 stage musicals and more than 500 songs from 1919 until Hart ...

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

Harold Arlen Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film ...

, Richard A. Whiting,

Vernon Duke Vernon Duke ( 16 January 1969) was a Russian-born American composer/songwriter who also wrote under his birth name, Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for " Taking a Chance on Love," with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche (1940), "I Can' ...

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

and

George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...

and

Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 2 ...

. Short also championed

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

composers of the same period such as

Eubie Blake James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983) was an American pianist and composer of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. In 1921, he and his long-time collaborator Noble Sissle wrote '' Shuffle Along'', one of the first B ...

James P. Johnson James Price Johnson (February 1, 1894 – November 17, 1955) was an American pianist and composer. A pioneer of stride piano, he was one of the most important pianists in the early era of recording, and like Jelly Roll Morton, one of the key ...

, Andy Razaf,

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz pi ...

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

and

Billy Strayhorn William Thomas Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967) was an American jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger, who collaborated with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington for nearly three decades. His compositions include "Take ...

, presenting their work not in a polemical way, but as simply the obvious equal of that of their white contemporaries. Short's dedication to his great love – what he called the "Great American Song" – left him equally adept at performing the witty lyrics of

Bessie Smith Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer widely renowned during the Jazz Age. Nicknamed the " Empress of the Blues", she was the most popular female blues singer of the 1930s. Inducted into the Rock a ...

's "

Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer) "Gimme a Pigfoot" is a 1933 song written by Wesley Wilson, probably with Coot Grant, his wife, though she is not usually credited on record labels. It was first recorded by Bessie Smith, and versions have been released by many other artists. It ...

" or Gershwin and Duke's "

I Can't Get Started "I Can't Get Started", also known as "I Can't Get Started with You" or "I Can't Get Started (with You)", is a popular song. It was written in 1936 by Vernon Duke (music) and Ira Gershwin (lyrics) and introduced that year in the film '' Ziegfeld ...

". Short stated his favorite songwriters were Ellington, Arlen and Kern, and he was instrumental in spearheading the construction of the Ellington Memorial in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. He was a friend of

Tom Jobim Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

and was present during the composer's final days in New York City.

Early life

He was born in

Danville, Illinois Danville is a city in and the county seat of Vermilion County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 33,027. As of 2019, the population was an estimated 30,479. History The area that is now Danville was once home to the Miami, K ...

, United States, where two of his school classmates were Dick Van Dyke and

Donald O'Connor Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer and actor. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule. His best ...

. He began performing piano in dance halls and saloons, and as a busker, after leaving home at the age of 11, for

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, with his mother's permission.

Career

Short began his adult musical career in clubs in the 1940s. In 1968 he was offered a two-week stint at the

Café Carlyle The Carlyle Hotel, known formally as The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, is a combination luxury apartment hotel located at 35 East 76th Street on the northeast corner of Madison Avenue and East 76th Street, on the Upper East Side of New York City. O ...

, to fill in for George Feyer. Short (accompanied by Beverly Peer on bass and Dick Sheridan on drums) became an institution at the Carlyle, as Feyer had been before him, and remained there as a featured performer for more than 35 years. Short often performed impromptu all-night sets at his various favorite cafes and restaurants. He was a regular patron at Ted Hook's Backstage, located at Eighth Avenue and Forty-Fifth Street. In 1971 Short published ''Black and White Baby'', a brilliant description of his childhood upbringing in the dance halls and saloons of Chicago and New York, and his family's fight for survival after the death of his father. He followed with ''Bobby Short: The Life and Times of a Saloon Singer'' in 1995, chronicling his career into the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Short continued his career in the 1970s and 1980s singing for films and television. In 1972, he performed the theme song to

James Ivory James Francis Ivory (born June 7, 1928) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. For many years, he worked extensively with Indian-born film producer Ismail Merchant, his domestic as well as professional partner, and with screen ...

's film '' Savages''. In 1976, Short sang and appeared in a commercial for Revlon's perfume " Charlie". In 1979 he performed a 25-song set that was released on DVD in 2004 as ''Bobby Short at the Cafe Carlyle''. In 1981, he made a cameo appearance on ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...

'' in a two-part episode. In 1985, he sang part of the opening theme for the NBC television show ''

Misfits of Science ''Misfits of Science'' is an American science fiction comedy-drama television series created by James D. Parriott that aired on NBC from October 4, 1985, to February 21, 1986. Plot The series discussed super-powered humans and their madcap ad ...

''. Short continued working in films when, in 1986, he appeared in the

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

film '' Hannah and Her Sisters''. Allen later used Short's recording of "

I Happen to Like New York "I Happen to Like New York" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for the 1930 musical ''The New Yorkers'' when it was introduced by Oscar Ragland. The song has become a standard of the Great American Songbook, with recordings by many differen ...

" for the opening title of ''

Manhattan Murder Mystery ''Manhattan Murder Mystery'' is a 1993 American black comedy mystery film directed by Woody Allen, which he wrote with Marshall Brickman, and starring Alan Alda, Allen, Anjelica Huston, and Diane Keaton. The film centers on a married couple's ...

'' (1993). In 1991, Short made a guest appearance as blues musician Ches Collins on the TV series '' In the Heat of the Night'' in the episode " Sweet, Sweet Blues". He also performed the theme song for the episode. He reprised the role in the 1994 episode "Ches and the Grand Lady". In 1993, he made an appearance in the

Michael J. Fox Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian-American retired actor. Beginning his career in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ''Family Ties'' (1 ...

comedy film, '' For Love or Money'', performing the song "In Your Eyes" (written by

Marc Shaiman Marc Shaiman (; born October 22, 1959) is an American composer and lyricist for films, television, and theatre, best known for his collaborations with lyricist and director Scott Wittman. He wrote the music and co-wrote the lyrics for the Broa ...

). Short appeared in his final film role, in ''

Man of the Century ''Man of the Century'' is a 1999 American comedy film directed by Adam Abraham and written by Abraham and Gibson Frazier. The film stars Frazier, Cara Buono, Susan Egan, Dwight Ewell and Anthony Rapp. It is a farce about the attitudes, values, ...

'', in 1999.

Later years

In 2000, the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

designated Short a Living Legend, a recognition established as part of its bicentennial celebration. The following year, Short's voice was featured in the 200th episode of the sitcom ''

Frasier ''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons. It premiered on September 16, 1993, and ended on May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee (as Grub ...

''. In 2004, Short announced plans to end his regular appearances at the Café Carlyle by the end of the year. He continued to tour and travel until the end of his life.

Awards

Bobby Short was inducted as a Laureate of

The Lincoln Academy of Illinois The Lincoln Academy of Illinois is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to recognizing contributions made by living Illinoisans. Named for Abraham Lincoln, the Academy administers the ''Order of Lincoln'', the highest award given ...

and awarded the Order of Lincoln (the State's highest honor) by the Governor of Illinois in 1983 in the area of Performing Arts.

Personal life

Short adopted Ronald Bell, of San Francisco, who was the son of Short's older brother William. Although Short never publicly declared that he was gay, it was well known among his friends, fellow musicians, and even among some of his fans. When asked by a friend why he hadn't taken part in any of the gay pride marches of the 1970s and 1980s, Short's response was, "I have a living to make! I can't afford to march in the Gay Pride Parade."

Death

On March 21, 2005, Short died of

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...

New York Presbyterian Hospital The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is a nonprofit academic medical center in New York City affiliated with two Ivy League medical schools, Cornell University and Columbia University. The hospital comprises seven distinct campuses located in the New ...

. He is buried in Atherton Cemetery in Danville, Illinois, the city of his birth.

Discography

* ''Songs by Bobby Short'' (1955, Atlantic) * ''Bobby Short'' (1956, Atlantic) * ''Speaking of Love'' (1957, Atlantic) * ''Sing Me A Swing Song'' (1958, Atlantic) * ''The Mad Twenties'' (1959, Atlantic) * ''Bobby Short on the East Side'' (1960, Atlantic) * ''My Personal Property'' (1963, Atlantic) * ''Jump for Joy'' (1969, Atlantic) * ''Nobody Else But Me'' (1971, Atlantic) * ''Bobby Loves Cole Porter'' (1971, Atlantic) * ''Bobby Short is Mad About Noël Coward'' (1972, Atlantic) * ''Bobby Short is K-RA-ZY for Gershwin'' (1973, Atlantic) * ''Live at the Cafe Carlyle'' (1974, Atlantic) * ''Bobby Short Celebrates Rodgers & Hart'' (1975, Atlantic) * ''Personal'' (1977, Atlantic) * ''Moments Like This'' (1982, Elektra/Asylum) * ''Guess Who's in Town: Bobby Short Performs the Songs of Andy Razaf'' (1987, Atlantic) * ''Late Night at the Cafe Carlyle'' (1992, Telarc) * ''Swing That Music'' (1993, Telarc) * ''Songs of New York (Live)'' (1995, Telarc) * ''Celebrating 30 Years of the Cafe Carlyle'' (1998, Telarc) * ''You're the Top: The Love Songs of Cole Porter'' (1999, Telarc) * ''Piano'' (2001, Surroundedby Entertainment)Bobby Short discography
at allmusic.com.

As guest vocalist

With

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

*''

Benny Carter Songbook ''Songbook'' is an album by American saxophonist and composer Benny Carter, released in 1996 by MusicMasters Records.Call Me Mister ''Call Me Mister'' is a revue with sketches by Arnold Auerbach and words and music by Harold Rome. The title refers to troops who are happily returning to civilian life and no longer want to be addressed by their military ranks. The Broadway pr ...

'' (1951) * '' Roots: The Next Generations'' (1979) * ''Hardhat and Legs'' (1980) * ''You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story'' (1983) * '' Hannah and her Sisters'' (1986) * '' For Love or Money'' (1993) * '' Blue Ice'' (1993) * ''

'' (1999) * ''Always At The Carlyle'' (2018)

Television

* ''

'' (2 episodes, 1981) * '' In the Heat of the Night'' (2 episodes, 1991, 1994) * ''

'' (1 episode, 2001) * '' 7th Heaven'' (1 episode 2003)

References

External links

* * *
Music Legend Bobby Short's Jazz Legacy
- an appreciation from

National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...

(spoken commentary with brief musical excerpts; requires

RealPlayer RealPlayer, formerly RealAudio Player, RealOne Player and RealPlayer G2, is a cross-platform media player app, developed by RealNetworks. The media player is compatible with numerous container file formats of the multimedia realm, including MP3 ...

Windows Media Player Windows Media Player (WMP) is the first media player and media library application that was developed by Microsoft for playing audio, video and viewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on ...

)
Google Music: Bobby Short

Bobby Short Music

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Short, Bobby 1924 births 2005 deaths 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors 20th-century American singers 21st-century American musicians 21st-century American singers African-American jazz musicians African-American jazz pianists African-American male actors 20th-century African-American male singers American street performers American male film actors American male television actors Atlantic Records artists Burials in Illinois Cabaret singers Deaths from cancer in New York (state) Deaths from leukemia Jazz-blues pianists Nightlife in New York City Singers from Illinois People from Danville, Illinois Traditional pop music singers 20th-century American pianists Jazz musicians from Illinois American male pianists Gay musicians 20th-century American male singers 21st-century American male singers American male jazz musicians 21st-century African-American male singers