Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

1908 in Omaha, NE

Death

:

December 25, 1993 in New York City, NY

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Ann Ronell was an American composer, lyricist, and pianist who was born on December 28, 1906, in Omaha, Nebraska. She was the daughter of a prominent attorney and a talented pianist, and her family was musically inclined. Ronell began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. She attended the University of Chicago and later transferred to New York University, where she studied music and composition. Ronell's career in music began in the 1920s when she moved to New York City and started working as a pianist and arranger. She quickly gained a reputation as a talented musician and began composing her own songs. In 1929, she wrote the music and lyrics for the song "Willow Weep for Me," which became a hit and was later recorded by many famous musicians, including Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. Throughout the 1930s, Ronell continued to compose music and write lyrics for popular songs. She worked with many famous musicians, including Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, and her songs were performed by some of the biggest names in the music industry. In 1932, she wrote the music and lyrics for the song "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home," which was recorded by Bessie Smith and later became a jazz standard. In 1933, Ronell wrote the music and lyrics for the song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" for the Disney animated short film "Three Little Pigs." The song became a huge hit and was later featured in the Disney film "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh." Ronell's success with "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" led to her being hired by Hollywood studios to write music for films. Ronell's first film score was for the 1934 film "The Little Minister," which starred Katharine Hepburn. She went on to write music for many other films, including "The Story of G.I. Joe" (1945), which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Ronell was one of the few female composers working in Hollywood at the time, and she paved the way for other women to enter the industry. In addition to her work in Hollywood, Ronell continued to compose music and write lyrics for popular songs. In 1940, she wrote the music and lyrics for the song "Linda," which became a hit and was later recorded by Frank Sinatra. She also wrote the music and lyrics for the song "Willow in the Wind," which was recorded by Judy Garland. Ronell's career slowed down in the 1950s, and she focused more on teaching and writing music for the theater. She taught at the Juilliard School and the New School for Social Research, and she wrote music for several Broadway shows, including "Count Me In" (1942) and "The Ziegfeld Follies of 1943." Ronell died on December 25, 1993, in New York City at the age of 86. She was a trailblazer for women in the music industry and left behind a legacy of beautiful music that continues to be performed and enjoyed today.

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