George Gershwin

Biography

Born in Brooklyn in 1898 and began his musical training at 13. At 16 he quit high school to work for a music publisher and soon was writing songs himself. The Gershwins’ shows include the Pulitzer Prize-winning Of Thee I Sing and the folk opera Porgy and Bess. George’s classical masterpieces include “Rhapsody in Blue,” “Concerto in F” and “An American in Paris.” In 1937 George was at the height of his career. While working on the score of The Goldwyn Follies in Hollywood, he collapsed and died of a brain tumor. He was not quite 39 years old.