You might love Cole Porter without even realizing it. The composer and songwriter's theater legacy includes musicals Anything Goes and Kiss Me, Kate and songs "In the Still of the Night, "I Get a Kick out of You" and "It's De-Lovely"—and that's just a taste of his work. He's also known for covers by powerhouses like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. For this Throwback Thursday, let's remember Porter for his brilliance and originality on his 125th birth anniversary.
Porter was born June 9, 1891 in Peru, Indiana, where he grew up making music. (My parents grew up in Peru, so I know what a big deal it is that Porter was born and raised there. He's celebrated every June with the Cole Porter Festival.) Porter's first commercial success came in 1928 with "Let's Do It, Let's Fall In Love," written for the Broadway musical Paris. After this, the hits kept coming. Get to know the musician better with these titles.
Books
Cole Porter: A Biography: Learn about the life and lyrics of this elegant, charming and extremely creative man.
Travels With Cole Porter: Author Jean Howard joined her great friend on two luxurious trips in the 1950s. Her book includes 300 photos and excerpts from Porter's diaries.
CDs
Cole Sings Porter: If you love the character and charm of an LP, you'll enjoy this CD.
From This Moment on: A collection of recordings commemorating Porter's centennial.
Kiss Me, Kate: Porter's most successful musical is an adaptation of William Shakepeare's The Taming of the Shrew.
Movie
De-Lovely: Kevin Kline portrays the complicated but always original Porter in this musical film.
Let's end with a musical number. Happy listening!
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