From: "Dik de Heer" Date: Thu Jun 27, 2002 1:13 am Subject: Born To Be With You : Doc Pomus DOC POMUS Born Jerome Solon Felder, 27 June 1925, Brooklyn, New York City Died 14 March 1991, Manhattan, New York City Songwriter, singer. The legendary Doc Pomus found success as one of the finest white blues singers of the 1940s before becoming one of the greatest songwriters in the history of American popular music. With his partner Mort Shuman he formed the most successful songwriting team in R&B / R&R after Leiber and Stoller, peaking in the sixties. Crippled by polio in his childhood, Pomus became interested in singing blues and writing songs after hearing a Big Joe Turner record when he was 15; he played saxophone at the time, and after hearing Turner, blues music became his obsession. By the mid-'50s, after singing in a thousand blues clubs, Pomus came to a crossroads in his career: he was in his early 30s and decided he wanted to get married, but realizing he'd never support himself and a wife singing blues, he decided to become a songwriter. He then realized he needed a collaborator, and found one in his piano-playing partner for dozens of years, Mort Shuman (born 12 November 1938, NYC, died 2 November 1991, London). Together, Pomus and Shuman wrote the words and music to such hits as "Save The Last Dance For Me", "This Magic Moment", "Sweets For My Sweet", "Little Sister", "His Latest Flame", "Suspicion", "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Surrender," "Viva Las Vegas" and many more. After securing their own office in the Brill Building, the team continued to crank out hit after hit; Presley alone ended up recording more than 20 of their songs throughout his career. In addition, Pomus and Shuman also wrote songs for Fabian ("Turn Me Loose", "Hound Dog Man" and "I'm a Man" - the latter also recorded by Mort Shuman himself in a much superior version, and released on UK Decca), Bobby Darin ("Plain Jane", "Sorrow Tomorrow") and Dion, for whom they wrote "A Teenager in Love", their first hit together. Before teaming up with Shuman, Pomus had already co-written "Boogie Woogie Country Girl" for Joe Turner, "Lonely Avenue" for Ray Charles and had helped Leiber and Stoller on "Young Blood" for the Coasters. Pomus worked tirelessly for singers he believed in. He played significant career boosting roles for people like his hero Big Joe Turner, Dr. John, Lou Reed and dozens of others. Pomus contracted lung cancer and died in March 1991, but not before a string of benefit shows were held for him at clubs around New York. Pomus' memory lives on via the Washington, D.C.-based Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Doc Pomus Financial Assistance program. More info: http://www.felderpomus.com/docpomus1.html