Ann Ronell (December 28, 1906 or 1908 Omaha, Nebraska - December 25, 1993) was a Jewish-American composer and lyricist best known for the jazz standard "Willow Weep For Me" (1932). She is a former student of Walter Piston. She was married to producer Lester Cowan. December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1908 (MCMVIII) is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... For other uses, see Omaha (disambiguation). ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... A Jewish American (also commonly American Jew) is an American (a citizen of the United States) of Jewish descent or religion who maintains a connection to the Jewish community, either through actively practicing Judaism or through cultural and historical affiliation. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... A lyricist is an author of song lyrics. ... Walter Hamor Piston Jr. ...

She was, along with Dorothy Fields, Dana Suesse, and Kay Swift, one of the first successful Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley female composers or librettists. She cowrote Disney's first hit song, "Who's Afraid fo the Big Bad Wolf?" (1933) with Frank Churchill for the film of the same name. She wrote the lyrics and music for the Broadway musical Count Me In (1942) She wrote songs for movies including Champagne Waltz (1937) and Blockade (1938) and wrote the scores for movies including the Cowan produced The Story of G.I. Joe (1945), the film adaptation of the Weill/Nash musical One Touch of Venus (1948), and the Marx Brothers Love Happy (1949). She served as musical director for Main Street to Broadway (1953). She was nominated for Best Song, "Linda", and with co-composer Louis Applebaum for Best Score, for her work on The Story of G.I. Joe. Dorothy Fields was immortalised on a USPS postage stamp. ... Kay Swift (1897–1993) was an American composer of popular and classical music who was first woman to score a complete musical. ... Louis Applebaum, CC (April 3, 1918 - April 19, 2000) was a Canadian composer, administrator, and conductor. ...

She was romantically involved with George Gershwin at the time she wrote her most famous song, "Willow Weep For Me" and speculation in the New York City composer community is that Gershwin actually wrote the song and gave her the copyright as a gift. However, this has never been proven and is still, at this point, based on the striking similarities in the song to the blues-inflected style of Gershwin.

Work on Broadway

• Count Me In (1942) - revue - composer and lyricist
• The Crucible (1953) - play - composer for the "Lullaby"
• Blues in the Night (1982) - revue - featured songwriter for "Willow Weep For Me"

Ballad A revue is a type of theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches that satirize contemporary figures, news, or literature. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... A lyricist is an author of song lyrics. ... Cover to the 1953 book The Crucible is a play that was written by Arthur Miller in 1952. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... A lullaby is a soothing song sung to children before they go to sleep. ... A revue is a type of theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches that satirize contemporary figures, news, or literature. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ...

External links

• Ann Ronell at the Internet Broadway Database