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Kay Swift

Katharine Faulkner "Kay" Swift (April 19, 1897 – January 28, 1993) was an American composer of popular and classical music, the first woman to score a hit musical completely. Written in 1930, the Broadway musical Fine and Dandy includes some of her best known songs; the song “Fine and Dandy” has become a jazz standard. "Can't We Be Friends?" (1929) was her biggest hit song.

Swift also arranged some of the music of George Gershwin posthumously, such as the prelude "Sleepless Night" (1946).

Birth and Death Data: Born April 19, 1897 (New York City), Died January 28, 1993 (Southington)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-55638 10-in. 7/31/1929 Can't we be friends? Leo Reisman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BVE-64304 10-in. 10/8/1930 Fine and dandy Frank Luther ; Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BVE-64305 10-in. 10/8/1930 Can this be love? Frank Luther ; Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor PBS-09570 10-in. 7/6/1937 Can't we be friends? Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-035346 10-in. 3/24/1939 Friends medley Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-064012 10-in. 4/3/1941 Can't we be friends? Joe Reichman Piano solo, with instrumental trio composer  
Victor BVE-Test-417 10-in. 6/5/1929 Can't we be friends? Libby Holman Female vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia W148957 10-in. 8/30/1929 Can't we be friends? The Diplomats Vocal ensemble, with alto saxophone and piano-accordion composer  
Columbia W149066 10-in. 9/27/1929 Can't we be friends? Bing Crosby Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia [W]149481 10-in. 11/22/1929 Can't we be friends? The Georgians [Paul Specht Orchestra] ; Johnny Morris Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia W150872 10-in. 10/10/1930 Can this be love? Ipana Troubadours ; Sam Lanin Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
OKeh W402946 10-in. 9/11/1929 Can't we be friends? Smith Ballew Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
OKeh W404543 10-in. 11/7/1930 Can this be love? Dorsey Brothers Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
OKeh W404544 10-in. 11/7/1930 Fine and dandy Dorsey Brothers Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Brunswick E30829 10-in. Sept. 1929 Can’t we be friends? Libby Holman Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick E31350 10-in. Oct. 1929 Brunswick brevities program Q, part 5 Colonial Club Orchestra ; Libby Holman Radio transcription disc : Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick E34406 10-in. Sept. 1930 Can this be love? Jacques Renard Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Brunswick E30533-E30534 10-in. 9/6/1929 Can’t we be friends? Five Pennies ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Swift, Kay," accessed November 6, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104915.

Swift, Kay. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 6, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104915.

"Swift, Kay." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 6 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104915

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