Cole Porter – composer & lyricist (b. June 9, 1891 – d. October 15, 1964)
was an American composer and lyricist whose career was unusual even within the highly competitive world of American musical theatre. Unlike most successful Broadway songwriters of his generation, Porter wrote both the music and the lyrics for his songs. His catalogue includes Broadway and West End musicals, Hollywood films, and hundreds of individual songs, many of which became part of the standard repertoire of popular and jazz musicians. His songs are known for their sophisticated melodies, distinctive harmonic writing, and carefully constructed lyrics, often marked by wit, wordplay and an urbane tone.
Porter was born June 9, 1891, in Peru, Indiana, to Kate Cole and Samuel Fenwick Porter. He grew up in a prosperous family, and his maternal grandfather, James Omar Cole, was a successful businessman who played an important role in the family's finances. Porter was musically inclined from childhood. He studied violin and piano, but preferred the piano, and began composing at an early age.
His grandfather wanted him to follow a conventional professional career. Porter was therefore sent to Worcester Academy and in 1909 entered Yale College, where he studied English and later...
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