Brown, Lew (December 10, 1893 - February 5, 1958)

Lew Brown (December 10, 1893 - February 5, 1958) was a Russian-American Jewish lyricist. Born Lewis Brownstein in Odessa, in the then Russian Empire (modern Ukraine), Brown immigrated to the United States at the age of five. He and his family settled in New York City and Brown attended DeWitt Clinton High School, before dropping out to pursue songwriting. He began writing song for Tin Pan Alley in 1912 and collaborated with established composers, including Albert von Tilzer. Two of the well-known works that came out of this collaboration are '(I'm Going Back to) Kentucky Sue)' and 'I'm the Lonesomest Gal in Town'. During World War I, Brown wrote a string of popular songs with von Tilzer, Al, Harriman, and others. Brown formed his most successful writing partnership in 1925 when he began collaborating with Buddy DeSylva and Ray Henderson, writing hits such as 'Button Up Your Overcoat' and 'The Birth of the Blues'. In 1931, DeSylva decided to go in a different direction, but the other two men continued working together. In 1942, Brown penned the lyrics for 'Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree', which was subsequently recorded by Glenn Miller and the Andrews Sisters, launching the tune to popularity. It was not long after the success of 'Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree' that Brown retired from songwriting. Brown was married twice, first to Sylvia Fiske, with whom he had two daughters, and later to Catherine 'June' Brown.