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 201-225 of 357 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Columbia | W147838 | 10-in. | 1/31/1929 | A love tale of Alsace Lorraine | Maurice J. Gunsky | Male vocal solo, with violin, cello, and piano | composer | |
Columbia | W147886 | 10-in. | 1/23/1929 | A precious little thing called love | Ipana Troubadours ; Sam Lanin | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Columbia | [W]147974 | 10-in. | 2/20/1929 | A precious little thing called love | Annette Hanshaw ; Selvin’s Orchestra | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | composer | |
Columbia | W148010 | 10-in. | 2/28/1929 | A precious little thing called love | Oscar Grogan | Male vocal solo | composer | |
Columbia | W148176 | 10-in. | 4/5/1929 | You're just another memory | Johnny Morris ; Paul Specht Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Columbia | 148179 | 10-in. | 4/5/1929 | Here comes my ball and chain | Bert Lown and his Loungers | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Columbia | W148371 | 10-in. | 4/23/1929 | Oh sweetheart, where are you tonight? | Harry Barth's Mississippians | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Columbia | 148384 | 10-in. | 4/26/1929 | I'm croonin' a tune about June | Dick Burnett ; Golden Gate Orchestra [California Ramblers] | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Columbia | W148386 | 10-in. | 5/6/1929 | I'm croonin' a tune about June | Sunshine Boys | Male vocal duet, with trombone, guitar, and piano | composer | |
Columbia | W148613 | 10-in. | 5/22/1929 | Oh sweetheart, where are you tonight? | Charlie Lawman | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Columbia | W148685 | 10-in. | 6/11/1929 | It don't mean a thing without you | Ford and Glenn | Male vocal duet, with instrumental trio | songwriter | |
Columbia | 148728 | 10-in. | 6/21/1929 | I'll be there | Tom Frawley ; Willie Creager Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
Columbia | 148962 | 10-in. | 8/31/1929 | Revolutionary rhythm | Tom Frawley ; Willie Creager Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
Columbia | 148967 | 10-in. | 9/3/1929 | I'm only making believe | Irving Kaufman ; Ted Bartell Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
Columbia | W148973 | 10-in. | 9/5/1929 | Revolutionary rhythm | Fred Rich Orchestra ; The Rollickers | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet | songwriter | |
Columbia | W148983 | 10-in. | 9/6/1929 | Collegiate Sam | Eddie Walters | Male vocal solo | songwriter | |
Columbia | [W]148990 | 10-in. | 9/11/1929 | Collegiate Sam | Teddy Joyce ; Penn Stage Recorders | Jazz/dance band | songwriter | |
Columbia | W149001 | 10-in. | 9/13/1929 | There's too many eyes that "wanna" make eyes at two pretty eyes I love | Ipana Troubadours ; Sam Lanin | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Columbia | W149007 | 10-in. | 9/14/1929 | Collegiate Sam | Harry Reser's Syncopators ; Tom Stacks | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
Columbia | W149039 | 10-in. | 9/24/1929 | Pal of my sweetheart days | Oscar Grogan | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | songwriter | |
Columbia | W149040 | 10-in. | 9/24/1929 | I'm only making believe | James Melton | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Columbia | W149650 | 10-in. | 11/27/1929 | You don't care | Art Gillham | Male vocal solo, with piano and drums | lyricist | |
Columbia | W149699 | 10-in. | 12/9/1929 | Why? | Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Walter Feldkamp ; Alan Moran | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet and piano duet | songwriter | |
Columbia | W149700 | 10-in. | 12/9/1929 | Cross your fingers | Walter Feldkamp ; Alan Moran ; Selvin’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet and piano duet | songwriter | |
Columbia | W149965 | 10-in. | 2/6/1930 | Falling in love with you | Oscar Grogan | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | 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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