J. Fred Coots

J. Fred Coots

John Frederick Coots (May 2, 1897 – April 8, 1985) was an American songwriter. He composed over 700 popular songs and over a dozen Broadway shows. In 1934, Coots wrote the melody with his then chief collaborator, lyricist Haven Gillespie, for the biggest hit of either man's career, "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town." The song became one of the biggest sellers in American history. In 1934, when Gillespie brought him the lyrics to "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", Coots came up with the outline of the melody in just ten minutes. Coots took the song to his publisher, Leo Feist, who liked it but thought it was "a kids' song" and didn't expect too much from it. Coots offered the song to Eddie Cantor who used it on his radio show that November and it became an instant hit. The morning after the radio show there were orders for 100,000 copies of sheet music and by Christmas sales had passed 400,000.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 2, 1897 (New York City), Died April 8, 1985 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, songwriter, tenor vocal, lyricist, piano

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 201-225 of 356 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Columbia	W147886	10-in.	1/23/1929	A precious little thing called love	Ipana Troubadours ; Sam Lanin	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	composer
Columbia	[W]147974	10-in.	2/20/1929	A precious little thing called love	Annette Hanshaw ; Selvin’s Orchestra	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	W148010	10-in.	2/28/1929	A precious little thing called love	Oscar Grogan	Male vocal solo	composer
Columbia	W148176	10-in.	4/5/1929	You're just another memory	Johnny Morris ; Paul Specht Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	composer
Columbia	148179	10-in.	4/5/1929	Here comes my ball and chain	Bert Lown and his Loungers	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	W148371	10-in.	4/23/1929	Oh sweetheart, where are you tonight?	Harry Barth's Mississippians	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	composer
Columbia	148384	10-in.	4/26/1929	I'm croonin' a tune about June	Dick Burnett ; Golden Gate Orchestra [California Ramblers]	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	composer
Columbia	W148386	10-in.	5/6/1929	I'm croonin' a tune about June	Sunshine Boys	Male vocal duet, with trombone, guitar, and piano	composer
Columbia	W148613	10-in.	5/22/1929	Oh sweetheart, where are you tonight?	Charlie Lawman	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	W148685	10-in.	6/11/1929	It don't mean a thing without you	Ford and Glenn	Male vocal duet, with instrumental trio	songwriter
Columbia	148728	10-in.	6/21/1929	I'll be there	Tom Frawley ; Willie Creager Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Columbia	148962	10-in.	8/31/1929	Revolutionary rhythm	Tom Frawley ; Willie Creager Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Columbia	148967	10-in.	9/3/1929	I'm only making believe	Irving Kaufman ; Ted Bartell Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Columbia	W148973	10-in.	9/5/1929	Revolutionary rhythm	Fred Rich Orchestra ; The Rollickers	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet	songwriter
Columbia	W148983	10-in.	9/6/1929	Collegiate Sam	Eddie Walters	Male vocal solo	songwriter
Columbia	[W]148990	10-in.	9/11/1929	Collegiate Sam	Teddy Joyce ; Penn Stage Recorders	Jazz/dance band	songwriter
Columbia	W149001	10-in.	9/13/1929	There's too many eyes that "wanna" make eyes at two pretty eyes I love	Ipana Troubadours ; Sam Lanin	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	composer
Columbia	W149007	10-in.	9/14/1929	Collegiate Sam	Harry Reser's Syncopators ; Tom Stacks	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Columbia	W149039	10-in.	9/24/1929	Pal of my sweetheart days	Oscar Grogan	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	songwriter
Columbia	W149040	10-in.	9/24/1929	I'm only making believe	James Melton	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	W149650	10-in.	11/27/1929	You don't care	Art Gillham	Male vocal solo, with piano and drums	lyricist
Columbia	W149699	10-in.	12/9/1929	Why?	Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Walter Feldkamp ; Alan Moran	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet and piano duet	songwriter
Columbia	W149700	10-in.	12/9/1929	Cross your fingers	Walter Feldkamp ; Alan Moran ; Selvin’s Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet and piano duet	songwriter
Columbia	W149965	10-in.	2/6/1930	Falling in love with you	Oscar Grogan	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	150040	10-in.	2/27/1930	You can't stop me from falling in love with you	Arthur Fields ; Golden Gate Orchestra [California Ramblers]	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	composer

(Results 201-225 of 356 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Coots, J. Fred," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106489.

Coots, J. Fred. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106489.

"Coots, J. Fred." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106489

External Sources

Wikipedia: J. Fred Coots

Discogs: J. Fred Coots

Allmusic: J. Fred Coots

IMDb: J. Fred Coots

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Coots, J. Fred, 1897-1985 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n92014476

Wikidata: J. Fred Coots - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1284588

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/5196885

MusicBrainz: J. Fred Coots - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/3bcb90e6-c8d9-463d-870a-3cc1e480a060

FAST: http://id.worldcat.org/fast/299065

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