Harry Brooks (September 20, 1895 – June 22, 1970) was an American writer of popular songs, jazz pianist and composer in the 1920s to the early 1950s. Brooks was born in

Homestead, Pennsylvania Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, in the Monongahela River valley southeast of downtown Pittsburgh and directly across the river from the city limit line. The borough is known for the Homestead Strike of 1892, an imp ...

. After graduating from his hometown high school in 1914, he worked as a pianist with

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

bands (dance orchestras) and then as a staff composer for a publishing company. He is recalled mostly in the 21st century for his work with his friends

Thomas "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 ...

and the lyricist

Andy Razaf Andy Razaf (born Andriamanantena Paul Razafinkarefo; December 16, 1895 – February 3, 1973) was an American poet, composer and lyricist of such well-known songs as " Ain't Misbehavin'" and " Honeysuckle Rose". Biography Razaf was born in Washi ...

. Brooks was the composer of several hit songs including his composition " Ain't Misbehavin'", written with Waller and Razaf.Larkin, Colin (ed.) (2006) "Razaf, Andy" ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' MUZE, Oxford University Press, New York, Also with Razaf and Waller, Brooks scored the

Broadway shows Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

''Snapshots of 1921'' and ''Connie's Hot Chocolates''. He died, aged 74, in

Teaneck, New Jersey Teaneck () is a Township (New Jersey), township in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a bedroom community in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, th ...

Published songs and music

All co-composed with Razaf and Waller unless otherwise marked * " Ain't Misbehavin'" *"

Black and Blue ''Black and Blue'' is the 13th British and 15th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 23 April 1976 by Rolling Stones Records. This album was the first recorded after former guitarist Mick Taylor quit ...

" *"Can't We Get Together" *"Garden Of God" - sole composer *"In the Meantime" *"Jungle Jamboree" *"Low Tide Down In My Heart" - with

*"My Man Is Good For Nothin' But Love" *"On the Loose" - sole composer *"Rockin' In a Rockin' Chair" *"Saturday" *"Southern Sunset" (aka "When the Sun Sets Down South") - with Sidney Joseph Bechet and

Noble Sissle Noble Lee Sissle (July 10, 1889 – December 17, 1975) was an American jazz composer, lyricist, bandleader, singer, and playwright, best known for the Broadway musical ''Shuffle Along'' (1921), and its hit song "I'm Just Wild About Harry". Ea ...

*"Strictly From Dixie" *"Sweet Savannah Sue" *"Swing, Mr. Charlie" - with Irving Taylor and

J. Russell Robinson Joseph Russel Robinson (July 8, 1892 – September 30, 1963) was an American ragtime, dixieland, and blues pianist and composer who was a member of the Original Dixieland Jass Band. Career Robinson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. In his teen ...

*"That Rhythm Man"

Published songs and music

Notes and references

Further reading