Curtis Reginald Lewis Explained

Curtis Reginald Lewis (August 29, 1918 – May 23, 1969), American composer of popular songs, many of which have become jazz standards. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, grew up in Chicago, and came to New York City in the 1940s. Lewis subsequently became one of the first black composers and lyricists to own a music publishing company on Broadway in the early 1950s.

He died in Kew Gardens, New York. Having served in the United States Army during World War II (from August 22, 1942, discharged as a Staff Sergeant December 2, 1945), his body was interred at the Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, NY.

Selected compositions

"All Night Long"

Album: All Night Long (1981)

George Shearing Quintet with Nancy Wilson; Album: The Swingin's Mutual!

Album: Brown Sugar

Aretha Franklin

Album: Sweet Bitter Love

Album: Crisscraft (Muse, 1975)

Sandy Graham; Album: Sandy Graham

Album: No More the Fool: The Collection

Rolf Delfos, Marijn Wijnands; Album: Complete Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Beverley Staunton, Album: Here's to You

Album: Live at the Village Vanguard

Album: San Francisco Jazz Festival

Album: All Night Long (2001)

Album: Lady Sings the Blues

Joe Sample, Randy Crawford; Album: Feeling Good

Album: Only Trust Your Heart (1995)

"All Soul"
"Blue City"

Album: Embers And Ashes (1960)

"Fortune Teller, Marion Keene" (1955)
"Garden of the Blues Suite, The"
"Great City, The"
"He Never Mentioned Love"

Album: Embers And Ashes (1960)

Album: He Never Mentioned Love (2007)

Album: The Complete Sarah Vaughan On Mercury Vol. 4 - 1963–1967

"He’s Gone Again"
"Now or Never" - Billie Holiday (music), Curtis R. Lewis (words)
"Old Country"
"Roaming Lover"
"Today I Sing the Blues"
"What Would a Woman Do?"
"You Oughta Be Mine"

Selected albums

The Garden of the Blues Shirley Horn sings Curtis Lewis, Steeple Chase Records

Film and TV

Blown Away (1994): song, All Night Long