POMUS, DOC

POMUS, DOC (Jerome Solon Felder ; 1925–1991), U.S. blues singer and songwriter who helped define rock & roll and rhythm & blues music, lyricist and co-lyricist of some of the greatest songs in rock and roll history, including "This Magic Moment," "Suspicion," "Sweets for My Sweet," "Teenager in Love," and "Save the Last Dance for Me," one of the 25 most-performed songs in history; member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Born in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, Pomus contracted polio at age nine and walked with crutches, but it did not hinder his career: he began performing as a teenager, and became one of the finest white blues singers of his time. At the age of 15, already playing saxophone and singing at jazz and blues clubs throughout the New York metropolitan area, he changed his name to hide his profession from his parents. Pomus recorded a number of blues-influenced singles for independent companies beginning in his late teens, none of which were hits. In 1956 he began to focus on writing songs, and soon formed a partnership with Mort Shuman, a pianist, to become one of the greatest songwriting teams in the history of American popular music. They wrote 12 songs a week, and a range of artists including B.B. King, the Drifters, the Mystics, Fabian, Bobby Darin, Dion and the Belmonts, Andy Williams, and Ray Charles cut Pomus' songs. Elvis Presley recorded at least 20 Pomus originals, including "Little Sister," "Viva Las Vegas," "Kiss Me Quick," and "A Mess of Blues."

The Pomus-Shuman partnership dissolved in 1965, and Pomus went into semi-retirement after a fall that left him confined to a wheelchair the rest of his life. He re-emerged in the mid-1970s, and worked with John Belushi to put together the band that supported the Blues Brothers. Pomus teamed with Dr. John (Mac Rebennack), and wrote the songs for his albums City Lights and Tango Palace. Pomus also co-wrote most of the material for B.B. King's album There Must Be a Better World Somewhere, which won a 1981 Grammy Award. Some of Pomus' songs were also used on the soundtracks of the films Dick Tracy and Cry Baby. Pomus estimated that during his career he wrote more than 1,000 songs, of which 100 were domestic and foreign Top Ten songs and more than 350 top-100 songs, that sold more than 250 million recordings. Pomus was given a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation, an organization he co-founded, the first white musician to be so honored. In 1995, a tribute album featuring recordings of 14 of his songs, Till the Night Is Gone: A Tribute to Doc Pomus, was recorded by artists including B.B. King, Bob *Dylan, Lou *Reed, Los Lobos, Roseanne Cash, and Dr. John. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in January 1992.

[Elli Wohlgelernter (2^nd ed.)]