Jerome Philip Herst (May 28, 1909, in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois – November 27, 1990, in Alameda, California), known as Jerry Herst, was a lawyer and a songwriter best known for his collaborations with Jack Sharpe on a number of compositions, notably "

So Rare "So Rare" is a popular song published in 1937 by composer Jerry Herst and lyricist Jack Sharpe. It became a hit for Jimmy Dorsey in 1957. The version by Carl Ravell and his Orchestra, from a session on 4 June 1937, was the earliest recording of ...

", a much-recorded song that was published in 1937.

Early life

In 1909, was born in Chicago to Abraham and Dora Schwartz. On December 24, 1947, he married Jeannde Lucille Taylor.

Education

His early education was in Townsend Hall in New York, followed by Western Military, in Alton Illinois. He attended college at

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

and

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

. In 1934, he received his JD from

University of California, Hastings College of Law The University of California, Hastings College of the Law (UC Hastings) is a public law school in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1878 by Serranus Clinton Hastings, UC Hastings was the first law school of the University of California a ...

, San Francisco. He studied music at the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

, and later studied composition privately with

Joseph Schillinger Joseph Moiseyevich Schillinger (Russian: Иосиф Моисеевич Шиллингер, (other sources: ) – 23 March 1943) was a composer, music theorist, and composition teacher who originated the Schillinger System of Musical Composition ...

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (3 April 1895 – 16 March 1968) was an Italian composer, pianist and writer. He was known as one of the foremost guitar composers in the twentieth century with almost one hundred compositions for that instrument. In ...

and

Alexandre Tansman Alexander Tansman ( pl, Aleksander Tansman, link=no, French: Alexandre Tansman; 12 June 1897 – 15 November 1986) was a Polish composer, pianist and conductor who became a naturalized French citizen in 1938. One of the earliest representatives of ...

Career

Music

While in college and law school he performed as a radio and night club performer. A version of his co-composition "So Rare" released by

Jimmy Dorsey James Francis Dorsey (February 29, 1904 – June 12, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards "I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary People ...

in 1957 was a #2 hit in the United States, but it has been recorded by numerous artists including Carl Ravell and his Orchestra (1937), Gus Arnheim and his Coconut Grove Orchestra (1937),

Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo (June 19, 1902 – November 5, 1977) was an Italian-Canadian-American bandleader, violinist, and hydroplane racer. Lombardo formed the Royal Canadians in 1924 with his brothers Carmen, Lebert and Victor, and othe ...

(1937),

Andy Williams Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hos ...

(1959),

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

(1960) and

Ray Conniff Joseph Raymond Conniff (November 6, 1916 – October 12, 2002) was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s. Biography Conniff was born November 6, 1916 in Attleboro, Massachusetts, United St ...

(1965). Herst has five compositions listed at the performing rights organisation ASCAP, four of which are collaborations with Jack Sharpe. "So Rare", "World Stands Still" and "What Did You Do It For" are by Herst and Sharpe. "We'll Get A Bang Out Of Life" was written by Herst and Sharpe with the bandleader

Anson Weeks Anson Weeks (February 14, 1896, Oakland, California – February 7, 1969, Sacramento, California) was an American pianist and the leader of a popular west coast dance band from the late 1920s through the 1960s, primarily in San Francisco. He made ...

and was recorded by

Kay Kyser and His Orchestra James Kern Kyser (June 18, 1905 – July 23, 1985), known as Kay Kyser, was an American bandleader and radio personality of the 1930s and 1940s. Early years James Kern Kyser was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the son of pharmacists Emil ...

(1938). A number of other compositions by Jerry Herst – including further collaborations with Jack Sharpe – are listed at the US Copyright Office. In addition to Jack Sharpe, he collaborated with such names as Al Jacobs, Felton Kaufmann, and Richard O’Kreamer.

Legal

Practiced law from 1935 to 1942. He served as a referee and hearing officer for the State of California Office of Administrative Procedure from 1947 to 1975. Served as an administrative law judge for the State of California until his retirement in 1975

Military

Was on active duty in the USNR, World War II. Served in the United States Naval Reserves as Judge Advocate General Court Martial, 12 Naval District (1942–1946), Senior Judge Advocate until his retirement.

Compositions

Songs

* ''So Rare'' (with Jack Sharpe) * ''The Call of Tarzan'' * ''The Darling of the Campus'' * ''As Long As I Still Have You'' - 1931 (with Al Jacobs) * ''We’ll Get a Bang Out of Life'' - 1938 (with Jack Sharpe) * ''Shower of Kisses'' * ''Meand’rin'' * ''Mud in Your Eye'' (with Felton Kauffman)

Instrumental works

* ''A Child’s Garden'' (suite for symphonic orchestra) * ''The Golden Spike'' (overture) Miscellaneous – numerous ballets and wind quintet

Musicals

* ''The Musical Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' * ''The Legend of Bret Harte'' * ''Ozma of Oz''“Herst, Jerome P.” , ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, Fourth Edition, Jaques Cattell Press/R.R. Bowker Co: New York, 1980, p. 226.

Notes and references

External links

Lead sheet for "So Rare"
at Wikifonia

Internet Movie Database {{DEFAULTSORT:Herst, Jerry 1909 births 1990 deaths Songwriters from Illinois 20th-century American musicians