George Gershwin
Birth Place: Brooklyn, NY
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George Gershwin
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BIO
George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn on September 26, 1898, and began his musical training when he was 13. At 16 he quit high school to work as a "song plugger" for a music publisher, and soon he was writing songs himself. "Swanee," as introduced by Al Jolson, brought George his first real fame and led to his writing a succession of 22 musical comedies, most with his older brother, Ira. The Gershwins' shows include Lady Be Good, Oh, Kay!, Strike Up the Band, Girl Crazy, and the Pulitzer Prize winning Of Thee I Sing. From his early career George had ambitions to compose serious music, and his classical masterpieces include "Rhapsody In Blue," "Concerto In F," "An American In Paris" and "Second Rhapsody." In the late '20s George became fascinated by the DuBose Heyward novel Porgy, recognizing it as a perfect vehicle for opera using jazz and blues idioms. The folk opera Porgy and Bess had its Broadway premiere in October of 1935. In 1937 George was at the height of his career. While working on the score of The Goldwyn Follies in Hollywood, he collapsed, and on July 11, died of a brain tumor. He was not quite 39 years old.
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See how George Gershwin connects to other Broadway stars and creatives.
Movies
[ 1937 ] music by
[ 1938 ] music by
[ 1945 ] music
[ 1951 ] music by
[ 1957 ] songwriter
[ 1964 ] songs by
[ 2013 ] music
[ 2018 ] music and lyrics by
Awards and Nominations
George GershwinThe Gershwins' Porgy And Bess
winner
George Gershwin, Crazy For You
Videos
Video: First Look at GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR at Farmers Alley Theatre
by Joshua Wright - 2026-04-22 15:31:56
Video: Brittany Renee And Ryan Speedo Green Sing From PORGY AND BESS At The Metropolitan Opera
by A.A. Cristi - 2025-12-29 20:41:17
News
by Andrew Poretz - Jul 27, 2026
Allan Harris brought the spirit of an intimate Harlem house party to Birdland with Harlem After Dark, joined by Maya Azucena, AC Lincoln, and a stellar jazz trio for an evening of blues, swing, tap dance, and irresistible musical chemistry.
by Fasika Velasco Gomez - Jul 24, 2026
Ana San Martín y Daniel Anglès pondrán voz a este recorrido por algunos de los grandes títulos de Broadway y el West End junto a la Banda Municipal de Barcelona, bajo la dirección de Sergi Cuenca.
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 23, 2026
Carnegie Hall announced pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and soprano Angel Blue will perform WHEN RAVEL MEETS GERSHWIN IN MANHATTAN, a narrated concert blending live music, archival visuals, and storytelling about Ravel's 1928 American tour.
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 23, 2026
New World Symphony announced its 2026-27 WALLCAST® concert series, featuring seven free outdoor live broadcasts projected onto the New World Center's exterior wall in SoundScape Park.
by Marina Kennedy - Jul 23, 2026
Sora Salon Series’ one-night pop-up at The Lobby Bar at Hotel Chelsea, an immersive cultural experience that brings together classical music, Japanese hospitality, and one of New York's most iconic artistic institutions on Wednesday, August 5th from 6:00–9:00 PM.
by Joshua Wright - Jul 24, 2026
New York City Opera will present a Celebration of Ella Fitzgerald concert in Bryant Park, featuring three-time Grammy Award-winning soprano Latonia Moore honoring the music of 'The First Lady of Song.'
by Aliya Al-Hassan - Jul 21, 2026
1965, New York City. Trevor Copeland and Arthur Brightman’s romance is against the law. In their secret nightclub act, “Midnight,” they perform love songs in an act of defiance of a world that demands they stay hidden. As tensions rise at the start of a historic movement, Trevor and Arthur are torn between their own surreptitious affair and the oncoming storm of social revolution. What did the critics think?
by Franco Milazzo - Jul 18, 2026
If the Last Night is about waving Union Jacks until arms ache, the First Night had some of that feeling too — albeit a different flag. The Proms this time around will commemorate the 250th anniversary of United States declaring bye-bye to Blighty and plotting its own course into history. Before the strains of “Jerusalem” fade away for another year, the Royal Albert Hall will see both the LA Philharmonic and New York’s Met Orchestra take the stage and Marin Alsop will conduct a night of Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin. Yuja Wang gives Samuel Barber’s Piano Concerto its first Proms outing on the Last Night, there are world premieres from Wynton Marsalis and Jessie Montgomery plus a centenary celebration of Miles Davis’ work.
by Felicitas de la Fare - Jul 18, 2026
What did our critic think of AAAAA at Aaa?
by Stephi Wild - Jul 16, 2026
Single tickets are now on sale for The Soraya's 2026-27 season, a 44-performance lineup featuring eight debuts, including Sutton Foster, Snarky Puppy, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Audra McDonald, and the National Symphony Orchestra.
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 15, 2026
ChamberMusicNY will present the Israeli Chamber Project in two free performances featuring works by Beethoven, Stravinsky, Bartók, Messiaen, and Israeli composers at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.
by Marissa Faith Curley - Jul 12, 2026
Soprano Anush Hovhannisyan and pianist Sam Jewison will headline BROADWAY RHAPSODY, a one-night-only open-air concert at Opera Holland Park, backed by a 40-piece orchestra.
by Marissa Faith Curley - Jul 11, 2026
Maestro Michael Fennelly and his Arcadia Symphony celebrated America's 250th anniversary with a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium. The evening featured a surprise appearance by Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, who joined the orchestra on-stage for a special performance. Check out the photos!
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 9, 2026
M.U.S.i.C. Stars in the Classics will present two outdoor chamber music concerts at a private Orange Village home, featuring award-winning musicians performing works from classical to jazz.
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 9, 2026
The Flea announced the cast of BEYOND THE STARDUST, an immersive nightlife show conceived by Niegel Smith and The Illustrious Blacks, featuring aerialists, vocalists, and dancers in an Afro-disco-space-punk production.
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 7, 2026
The Mark Morris Dance Group will return to Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, New York, on July 30, 2026, with a program of live music and contemporary dance. A free Dance for PD workshop led by David Leventhal will be offered July 28.
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 7, 2026
New York Festival of Song announced its upcoming season, featuring four mainstage concerts at Merkin Hall co-presented by Kaufman Music Center, plus standalone programs including A GOYISHE CHRISTMAS TO YOU! and a Juilliard collaboration.
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Jul 26, 2026
Over the years, Broadway has seen a number of family acts sharing the stage. It’s extra special when family members team up to write a Broadway show together. The Great White Way has seen many instances of this historically, in a variety of different situations.
by Adela González Pérez - Jul 3, 2026
El espectáculo, bajo la dirección artística de Antonio Banderas, se presentará los días 18 y 19 de julio.
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 1, 2026
The Great American Songbook Foundation announced Scott Bradlee, Adam Kantor, and Miche Braden as guest mentors for the 2026 Songbook Academy, joining previously announced headliners Lea Salonga, Mandy Gonzalez, and Michael Feinstein.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
George Gershwin has written 48 shows including Half-Past Eight (Composer), La, La, Lucille (Composer), La-La-Lucille! (Composer), Morris Gest's "Midnight Whirl" (Composer), George White's Scandals [1920] (Composer), Snapshots of 1921 (Composer), The Broadway Whirl (Composer), George White's Scandals [1921] (Composer), The French Doll (Composer), George White's Scandals [1922] (Composer), Our Nell (Composer), George White's Scandals [1923] (Composer), Sweet Little Devil (Composer), George White's Scandals [1924] (Composer), Primrose (Composer), Lady, Be Good (Composer), Tell Me More! (Composer), Tip-Toes (Composer), Song of the Flame (Composer), Oh, Kay! (Composer), Strike Up the Band (Composer), Funny Face (Composer), Rosalie (Composer), Treasure Girl (Composer), Show Girl (Composer), Girl Crazy (Composer), Of Thee I Sing (Composer), Pardon My English (Composer), Let 'Em Eat Cake (Composer), Porgy and Bess (Composer), All Points West (Composer), Who Cares? (Composer), Do It Again! (Composer), Mr. Words (Composer), My One and Only (Composer), Gertrude Stein and a Companion (Additional Music), Reaching for the Moon (Composer), Crazy for You (Composer), The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm (Composer/Lyricist), Jolson & Co. (Composer/Lyricist), American Rhapsody: A New Musical Revue (Composer), George Gershwin Alone (Composer/Lyricist), Elaine Stritch At Liberty (Composer), Stairway to Paradise (Sketches/Composer/Lyricist), The Gershwins' An American In Paris (Composer), Come Fly Away (Composer), Nice Work If You Can Get It (Composer), A Night With Janis Joplin (Composer).
George Gershwin has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. Some of his notable nominations include Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards for "The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess" and the American Express Award for Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards for "Crazy For You". These nominations highlight the recognition and acclaim that Gershwin's musical works have received in the industry.
George Gershwin has won the American Express Award for Best New Musical (Olivier Awards) for "Crazy For You".
