Songwriter George David Weiss dies
Written by admin on August 24, 2010 – 9:52 pm -| American songwriter George David Weiss died yesterday (August 23) of natural causes at his home in Oldwick, New Jersey. He was 89-years-old.
Weiss wrote some of the best known songs of all time, recorded by some of the true greats of popular music, including Elvis Presley, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. |
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Weiss was an army bandmaster until 1945, after which he began a songwriting partnership with Bennie Benjamin.
The partnership soon proved successful with number ones for Perry Como’s “Surrender,” Frankie Carle’s “Rumors Are Flying” and Frank Sinatra’s “Oh, What It Seemed to Be.” |
Bennie Benjamin & George David Weiss
Frank Sinatra – “Oh, What It Seemed to Be”
Weiss and Benjamin scored 20 hits over 10 years for some of the biggest stars of the era, including Patti Page and Kay Starr.
A friendship with Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore provided Weiss with opportunities to write for the younger market. He collaborated with the pair on Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in 1961 and this would become one of his best loved and most successful songs.
Elvis Presley – “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
Other successful songs written or co-written by Weiss in the 1960s included the soul classic “Stay With Me” for Lorraine Ellison and Louis Armstrong’s signature song “What a Wonderful World.”
Louis Armstrong – “What a Wonderful World”
Weiss also contributed to a number of film scores in the 1960s, including Murder, Inc. (1960), Mediterranean Holiday (1964) and Mademoiselle (1966).
After decades of songwriting, Weiss became president of the Songwriters Guild of America in 1982 and stayed in the role until 2000. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984.
Weiss is survived by his wife, Claire; three sons; a daughter and eight grandchildren.
Tags: Bennie Benjamin, Can't Help Falling in Love, Elvis Presley, George David Weiss, Louis Armstrong, What a Wonderful World
Posted in 60s pop, Elvis, Obituaries |
