Died On This Date (July 23, 2011) Fran Landesman / Respected American Lyricist
themusicsover Fran Landesman (Born Francis Deitsch)
October 21, 1927 – July 23, 2011
Fran Landesman was an American poet and lyricist who achieved international acclaim for penning the words to such songs as “The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men” and “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most.” Born in New York City, Landesman eventually settled with her husband in St. Louis, Missouri where they owned and operated the Crystal Palace, a world-renowned night club that hosted the likes of Barbra Streisand, Lenny Bruce and Woody Allen. It was while sitting at the bar listening to the singers that Landesman was inspired to take a stab at writing song lyrics herself. The year was 1952, and it was then and there that she began collaborating with the club’s house pianist on a string of songs, some of which became hits as recorded by others. That list of singers includes R0berta Flack, Rickie Lee Jones, Bette Midler, Sarah Vaughan, Petula Clark, Dudley Moore. Landesman wrote countless songs over the course of her career, over 300 of which since 1994 alone. In 1999, she donated her collection of writings to the University of Missouri, St. Louis but continued to make public appearances – reciting poetry or singing her songs – right up until her final days. Fran Landesman was 83 when she passed away on July 23, 2011.
Thanks to Scott Miller for the assist.
Martin Rushent was a successful record producer who could count records by Shirley Bassey, the Buzzcocks, Pete Shelley, the Human League, XTC, Joy Division, Generation X, and the Stranglers among his best work. Picking up the production bug while still in high school, Rushent found work soon after graduation, working as a tape operator alongside Tony Visconti on records by T-Rex, Jerry Lee Lewis, Yes, and Petula Clark. Eventually advancing to the ranks of recording engineer, Rushent went to work for United Artists where he was instrumental in getting the Stranglers signed and subsequently recording their UA releases. By the early ’80s, Rushent grew tired of producing guitar bands, so he opened his own studio and began working with synth-driven groups, helping launch the synth-pop movement of the ’80s. By the late ’80s, he was all but retired from the music business to raise his family, but resurfaced to run his own dance club, Gush in the mid ’90s. He went back to producing during the mid 2000s, working with the likes of Hazel O’Connor, the Pipettes, and Does It Offend You, Yeah? which is fronted by his son, James Rushent. Martin Rushent was 63 when he passed away on June 4, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released.
