Kay Swift
Katharine Faulkner "Kay" Swift (April 19, 1897 – January 28, 1993) was an American composer of popular and classical music, the first woman to score a hit musical completely. Written in 1930, the Broadway musical Fine and Dandy includes some of her best known songs; the song “Fine and Dandy” has become a jazz standard. "Can't We Be Friends?" (1929) was her biggest hit song. Swift also arranged some of the music of George Gershwin posthumously, such as the prelude "Sleepless Night" (1946). |
Birth and Death Data: Born April 19, 1897 (New York City), Died January 28, 1993 (Southington)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1941
Roles Represented in DAHR: composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | BVE-55638 | 10-in. | 7/31/1929 | Can't we be friends? | Leo Reisman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-64304 | 10-in. | 10/8/1930 | Fine and dandy | Frank Luther ; Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-64305 | 10-in. | 10/8/1930 | Can this be love? | Frank Luther ; Victor Arden-Phil Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | PBS-09570 | 10-in. | 7/6/1937 | Can't we be friends? | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BS-035346 | 10-in. | 3/24/1939 | Friends medley | Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BS-064012 | 10-in. | 4/3/1941 | Can't we be friends? | Joe Reichman | Piano solo, with instrumental trio | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-Test-417 | 10-in. | 6/5/1929 | Can't we be friends? | Libby Holman | Female vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Columbia | W148957 | 10-in. | 8/30/1929 | Can't we be friends? | The Diplomats | Vocal ensemble, with alto saxophone and piano-accordion | composer | |
| Columbia | W149066 | 10-in. | 9/27/1929 | Can't we be friends? | Bing Crosby | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Columbia | [W]149481 | 10-in. | 11/22/1929 | Can't we be friends? | The Georgians [Paul Specht Orchestra] ; Johnny Morris | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Columbia | W150872 | 10-in. | 10/10/1930 | Can this be love? | Ipana Troubadours ; Sam Lanin | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| OKeh | W402946 | 10-in. | 9/11/1929 | Can't we be friends? | Smith Ballew Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| OKeh | W404543 | 10-in. | 11/7/1930 | Can this be love? | Dorsey Brothers Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| OKeh | W404544 | 10-in. | 11/7/1930 | Fine and dandy | Dorsey Brothers Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Brunswick | E30829 | 10-in. | Sept. 1929 | Can’t we be friends? | Libby Holman | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | E31350 | 10-in. | Oct. 1929 | Brunswick brevities program Q, part 5 | Colonial Club Orchestra ; Libby Holman | Radio transcription disc : Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Brunswick | E34406 | 10-in. | Sept. 1930 | Can this be love? | Jacques Renard Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Brunswick | E30533-E30534 | 10-in. | 9/6/1929 | Can’t we be friends? | Five Pennies ; Red Nichols | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Swift, Kay," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104915.
Swift, Kay. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104915.
"Swift, Kay." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Swift, Kay, 1897-1993 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85138021
Wikidata: Kay Swift - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q469546
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/55038215
MusicBrainz: Kay Swift - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/af7c5bcb-a1bf-4c38-a55a-ac00fda4d9f0
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