Includes bibliographies and index

The life of a beloved American composer reflected through his music, writings, and letters.
Gershwin blossomed as an accompanist before his talent as a songwriter opened the way to Broadway. He composed a long run of musical comedies, many with his brother Ira as lyricist, but his aspirations reached beyond commercial success. In 1924-- at just twenty-five-- his first instrumental composition, Rhapsody in Blue, was an instant classic premiered by Paul Whiteman's jazz orchestra. Having polished his skills as an orchestrator, he pushed boundaries again in 1935 with the groundbreaking folk opera, Porgy and Bess. Crawford traces the arc of Gershwin's life, blending colorful anecdotes with a discussion of Gershwin's unforgettable oeuvre.