Role

:

Composer Performer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

March 13, 1933 in New York City, NY

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Mike Stoller was a renowned American composer and songwriter who was born on March 13, 1933, in Belle Harbor, New York. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia, and his father was a grocer. Stoller grew up in a musical family, and his parents encouraged him to pursue his passion for music. Stoller began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. He attended the Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, where he met his future songwriting partner, Jerry Leiber. The two became fast friends and began writing songs together, inspired by the rhythm and blues music they heard on the radio. In 1950, Stoller and Leiber wrote their first hit song, "Hard Times," which was recorded by Charles Brown. The song became a hit and launched the duo's career as songwriters. Over the next few years, Stoller and Leiber wrote a string of hits for artists such as Elvis Presley, The Coasters, and Ben E. King. One of Stoller and Leiber's most famous songs was "Hound Dog," which they wrote for Big Mama Thornton in 1952. The song became a hit and was later recorded by Elvis Presley, who turned it into a rock and roll classic. Stoller and Leiber also wrote "Jailhouse Rock" and "Don't," which were both recorded by Presley and became hits. In addition to their work with Presley, Stoller and Leiber wrote many hits for The Coasters, including "Yakety Yak," "Charlie Brown," and "Poison Ivy." These songs were known for their catchy melodies and humorous lyrics, and they helped to define the sound of rock and roll in the 1950s. Stoller and Leiber also wrote songs for other artists, including "Stand By Me" for Ben E. King and "Love Potion No. 9" for The Clovers. These songs became classics and are still popular today. In the 1960s, Stoller and Leiber continued to write hits, but they also began to work in other areas of the music industry. They produced records for artists such as The Drifters and The Exciters, and they wrote music for films and television shows. One of Stoller and Leiber's most famous film scores was for the 1972 movie "Lady Sings the Blues," which starred Diana Ross as Billie Holiday. The score was nominated for an Academy Award and helped to establish Stoller and Leiber as talented film composers. Stoller and Leiber continued to work together until Leiber's death in 2011. Over the course of their career, they wrote over 70 chart hits and were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985. In addition to his work with Leiber, Stoller also composed music for the stage. He wrote the music for the Broadway musical "Smokey Joe's Cafe," which opened in 1995 and ran for over 2,000 performances. The show featured many of Stoller and Leiber's classic songs and was a critical and commercial success. Stoller's other stage works include "The People in the Picture," which premiered on Broadway in 2011, and "The Closer I Get to You," which premiered in London in 2019. Throughout his career, Stoller was known for his ability to write catchy melodies and memorable lyrics. His songs have been covered by countless artists and have become part of the fabric of American popular culture. Stoller died on March 15, 2021, at the age of 88. His legacy as one of the greatest songwriters of all time lives on through his music, which continues to inspire and entertain audiences around the world.

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