J. Fred Coots
John Frederick Coots (May 2, 1897 – April 8, 1985) was an American songwriter. He composed over 700 popular songs and over a dozen Broadway shows. In 1934, Coots wrote the melody with his then chief collaborator, lyricist Haven Gillespie, for the biggest hit of either man's career, "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town." The song became one of the biggest sellers in American history. In 1934, when Gillespie brought him the lyrics to "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", Coots came up with the outline of the melody in just ten minutes. Coots took the song to his publisher, Leo Feist, who liked it but thought it was "a kids' song" and didn't expect too much from it. Coots offered the song to Eddie Cantor who used it on his radio show that November and it became an instant hit. The morning after the radio show there were orders for 100,000 copies of sheet music and by Christmas sales had passed 400,000. |
Birth and Death Data: Born May 2, 1897 (New York City), Died April 8, 1985 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1950
Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, songwriter, tenor vocal, lyricist, piano
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 301-325 of 357 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brunswick | E16660-E16663 | 10-in. | 10/12/1925 | Promenade walk | Cinderella Roof Orchestra ; Herb Wiedoeft | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Brunswick | E17690-E17691 | 10-in. | 1/26/1926 | Florida mammy | Salt and Pepper | Male vocal duet, with ukulele | songwriter | |
Brunswick | E30832-E30833 | 10-in. | Sept. 1929 | There’s too many eyes (That "wanna" make eyes at two pretty eyes that I love) | Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | composer | |
Brunswick | E30920-E30921 | 10-in. | Sept. 1929 | Revolutionary rhythm | Bob Haring Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | songwriter | |
Brunswick | E31111-E31112 | 10-in. | 10/7/1929 | Collegiate Sam | Six Jumping Jacks | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | songwriter | |
Brunswick | E31530-E31531 | 10-in. | Nov. 1929 | Why? | Colonial Club Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | songwriter | |
Brunswick | E31532-E31533 | 10-in. | Nov. 1929 | It’s you I love | Colonial Club Orchestra ; Ranny Weeks | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | songwriter | |
Brunswick | STL855 | 10-in. | Nov. 1928 | A love tale of Alsace Lorraine | Coronado Hotel Orchestra ; Allister Wylie | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Brunswick | C2684 | 10-in. | 12/18/1928 | A love tale of Alsace Lorraine | Danny David | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Brunswick | C3116 | 10-in. | 3/14/1929 | A precious little thing called love | Lee Sims | Piano solo | composer | |
Brunswick | C3397 | 10-in. | 4/29/1929 | Let’s talk it over | Freddie Rose | Male vocal solo, with piano | songwriter | |
Brunswick | C3828 | 10-in. | 7/10/1929 | Out where the moonbeams are born | Elmo Tanner | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | composer | |
Brunswick | C4021 | 10-in. | 8/9/1929 | Out where the moonbeams are born | Jay Richards Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with vocal | composer | |
Brunswick | LAE346 | 10-in. | 11/16/1928 | Doin’ the raccoon | Jesse Stafford Orchestra | Orchestra, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | composer | |
Brunswick | LAE370 | 10-in. | 12/4/1928 | Doin’ the raccoon | Jesse Stafford Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | composer | |
Brunswick | LAE414 | 10-in. | 2/4/1929 | A precious little thing called love (El angel pecador) | Jesse Stafford Orchestra ; Craig Leitch | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | composer | |
Brunswick | LAE496 | 10-in. | 5/9/1929 | Just another kiss | Nick Lucas | Male vocal solo, with guitar and orchestra | composer | |
Brunswick | LAE808 | 10-in. | 5/29/1930 | Sharing | Ben Bernie Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with vocal trio; without vocal (take G) | composer | |
Brunswick | NO132 | 10-in. | Mar. 1929 | A precious little thing called love | Jung Hotel Orchestra ; Ellis Stratakos | Jazz/dance band, with vocal | composer | |
Brunswick | DAL533 | 10-in. | Oct. 1929 | Dream shadows | East Texas Serenaders | Instrumental ensemble | composer | |
Brunswick | 1353W-1355W | 10-in. | 9/16/1925 | The promenade walk | The Ambassadors | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Brunswick | TC3032 | 10-in. | 3/2/1929 | A precious little thing called love | Mildred Debell | Female vocal solo | composer | |
Brunswick | B20142 | 10-in. | 10/28/1936 | Who loves you? | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | composer | |
Edison | 8305 | 10-in. | 11/29/1921 | My Hawaiian melody | Waikiki Hawaiian Orchestra | Jazz/dance band (Hawaiian) | composer | |
Edison | 8636 | 10-in. | 10/13/1922 | Jimmy | Joseph M. Knecht ; Waldorf-Astoria Dance Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Coots, J. Fred," accessed October 16, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106489.
Coots, J. Fred. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106489.
"Coots, J. Fred." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 16 October 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: J. Fred Coots
Discogs: J. Fred Coots
Allmusic: J. Fred Coots
IMDb: J. Fred Coots
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Coots, J. Fred, 1897-1985 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n92014476
Wikidata: J. Fred Coots - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1284588
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/5196885
MusicBrainz: J. Fred Coots - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/3bcb90e6-c8d9-463d-870a-3cc1e480a060
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