Jack Sharpe (songwriter)
Encyclopedia
John Rufus Sharpe III known as Jack Sharpe, was an American songwriter, music publishing executive and author. He is best known for "So Rare
", published in 1937, which he wrote with composer Jerry Herst
.
Sharpe was born in Berkeley, California
, United States
, the first of two children of John Rufus Sharpe, Jr. and Regina Franvell Walshe. Although his father was not known to be musically inclined, that was not the case with his mother. She achieved some local renown for her operatic singing and she passed her love of music to her son. Sharpe was distantly related to the singer and entertainer Judy Canova
.
"So Rare" was a #2 hit in 1957 for Jimmy Dorsey
, but it has been recorded by numerous artists including Carl Ravell and his Orchestra
(1937), Gus Arnheim and his Coconut Grove Orchestra
(1937), Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
(1937), Andy Williams
(1959), Ella Fitzgerald
(1960) and Ray Conniff
(1965). Sharpe and Herst have four collaborations listed at the performing rights organisation ASCAP, including "So Rare", and a number of other Herst-Sharpe songs are listed at the US Copyright Office.
Sharpe wrote the lyrics to "The Dream Peddler's Serenade" (1950), composed by Johnny Mercer
and recorded by Margaret Whiting
.
He authored at least one novel, Hogar, Lord of the Asyr (1987), published in New American Library's
Signet imprint under his full name of John Rufus Sharpe III.
So Rare
"So Rare" is a popular song published in 1937 by composer Jerry Herst and lyricist Jack Sharpe. It became a hit for Jimmy Dorsey in 1957.The version by Carl Ravell and his Orchestra, from a session on 4 June 1937, may be the earliest recording of the song, although it is unclear whether it was the...
", published in 1937, which he wrote with composer Jerry Herst
Jerry Herst
Jerome P. Herst , known as Jerry Herst, was a songwriter who collaborated with Jack Sharpe on a number of compositions, notably "So Rare", a much-recorded song that was published in 1937....
.
Sharpe was born in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the first of two children of John Rufus Sharpe, Jr. and Regina Franvell Walshe. Although his father was not known to be musically inclined, that was not the case with his mother. She achieved some local renown for her operatic singing and she passed her love of music to her son. Sharpe was distantly related to the singer and entertainer Judy Canova
Judy Canova
Judy Canova , born Juliette Canova, was an American comedienne, actress, singer and radio personality. She appeared on Broadway and in films...
.
"So Rare" was a #2 hit in 1957 for Jimmy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey
James "Jimmy" Dorsey was a prominent American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and big band leader. He was known as "JD"...
, but it has been recorded by numerous artists including Carl Ravell and his Orchestra
Carl Ravazza
Carl Ravazza , also known professionally as Carl Ravell, was an American violinist, vocalist and bandleader....
(1937), Gus Arnheim and his Coconut Grove Orchestra
Gus Arnheim
Gus Arnheim was an early popular band leader. He is noted for writing several songs with his first hit being "I Cried for You" from 1923. He was most popular in the 1920s and 1930s...
(1937), Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
Guy Lombardo
Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo was a Canadian-American bandleader and violinist.Forming "The Royal Canadians" in 1924 with his brothers Carmen, Lebert, and Victor and other musicians from his hometown, Lombardo led the group to international success, billing themselves as creating "The Sweetest...
(1937), Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
(1959), Ella Fitzgerald
Hello, Love
Hello, Love is a 1960 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, recorded over two sessions in 1957 and 1959.The album focuses on well known songs not included in Ella's epic Songbooks project, and several of the songs are tunes that she had recently recorded in duet with Louis...
(1960) and Ray Conniff
Ray Conniff
Joseph Raymond Conniff was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s.-Biography:...
(1965). Sharpe and Herst have four collaborations listed at the performing rights organisation ASCAP, including "So Rare", and a number of other Herst-Sharpe songs are listed at the US Copyright Office.
Sharpe wrote the lyrics to "The Dream Peddler's Serenade" (1950), composed by Johnny Mercer
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
and recorded by Margaret Whiting
Margaret Whiting
Margaret Whiting was a singer of American popular music and country music who first made her reputation during the 1940s and 1950s.-Youth:...
.
He authored at least one novel, Hogar, Lord of the Asyr (1987), published in New American Library's
New American Library
New American Library is an American publisher based in New York, founded in 1948; it produced affordable paperback reprints of classics and scholarly works, as well as popular, pulp, and "hard-boiled" fiction. Non-fiction, original, and hardcopy issues were also produced.Victor Weybright and Kurt...
Signet imprint under his full name of John Rufus Sharpe III.
In the mid-1960s, Sharpe formed Rondo Music, and by 1967 he was General Manager of the George E. Primrose Music Co, Mill ValleyMill Valley, CaliforniaMill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The population was 13,903 at the 2010 census.Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay...
, California. In 1970 he married Josephine Tumminia, an opera singer who had recorded with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra in 1937. At the time of his death he had last resided in San MateoSan Mateo, CaliforniaSan Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
, California, but he died in Santa Cruz CountySanta Cruz CountySanta Cruz County is the name of two counties in the United States:* Santa Cruz County, Arizona* Santa Cruz County, California...
.