Emanuel Kurtz Curtis Mann
Lyricist, Music Publisher
(1911-1984)

Manny Kurtz was born in Brooklyn, New York, where he went to high school and college before beginning work in the music publishing business. He wrote or co-wrote the lyrics for over 250 songs including the English lyrics for the Eddie Fisher hit “Santa Lucia” (1954) and the English lyrics for “Let it Be Me”(1960) a hit recording for the Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, Betty Everett & Jerry Butler, Glen Campbell & Bobbie Gentry, and Willie Nelson.

Kurtz’s most significant contribution to the jazz world is (with Irving Mills) the lyrics to Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” (1935). He is also credited with co-writing (with Mills) the lyrics to Ellington’s “Delta Serenade” (1934). Despite Kurtz’s success with “In a Sentimental Mood” and his position as a staff writer at Mills Studios, the Ellington collaborations seemed to have ended there.

-- Jeremy Wilson

Courtesy of JazzStandards.com