Doc Pomus

Doc Pomus rose to prominence in the 1940s as one of the most accomplished white blues vocalists before carving out a lasting place among the foremost architects of American popular song. He supplied lyrics and melodies for many of the era’s defining rock & roll recordings, among them “Save the Last Dance for Me,” “This Magic Moment,” and “Sweets for My Sweet,” together with numerous others that included Elvis Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas,” “Little Sister,” and “(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame.”

Paralyzed by polio in childhood, the performer born Jerome Felder on June 27, 1925, in Brooklyn, NY, turned to blues singing and songwriting after hearing a Big Joe Turner disc at fifteen; although he then played saxophone, Turner’s sound became an enduring fixation. By the mid-1950s, after countless nights in blues clubs, the thirty-something Pomus confronted a career choice: eager to marry, he recognized that blues singing alone could not support a household and therefore shifted his focus to composition. He soon teamed with pianist Mort Shuman, who would serve as his writing partner for decades.

From an office they secured in the Brill Building, Pomus and Shuman produced a steady stream of hits such as “Little Sister,” “Suspicion,” “Can't Get Used to Losing You,” “Surrender,” and “Viva Las Vegas.” Presley alone recorded more than twenty of their songs across his career, including “Mess of Blues.” The pair also wrote “Turn Me Loose” and “I'm a Man” for Fabian, “Plain Jane” for Bobby Darin, and “Teenager in Love” for Dion.

Pomus consistently championed artists he admired; one was Little Jimmy Scott, the Cleveland jazz balladeer who first reached New York in the late 1940s as a member of Lionel Hampton’s band. He likewise lent decisive support to his idol Big Joe Turner, Dr. John, Lou Reed, and many others. Pomus died of lung cancer in March 1991, yet not before benefit concerts were staged on his behalf throughout New York clubs. After Scott performed “Someone to Watch Over Me” at the memorial service, the singer received a five-album contract with Warner Bros. Pomus is remembered through the Doc Pomus Financial Assistance program maintained by the Washington, D.C.-based Rhythm and Blues Foundation.