TEA FOR TWO
Two Jewish Russian immigrant brothers gave the world some of the most endearing songs ever written. They revolutionized musical theater with an operetta exploring life as black people in America. One brother left the world too early. George and Ira Gershwin wrote songs with clever lyrics and heartfelt sentiment. The Gershwins were some of the best songwriters ever to pen a tune. George was born Jacob Gershwine in 1898 ; Ira was born Israel Gershwine two years earlier. (The family dropped the e in Gershwine when the brothers became well known.) George left school at 15 to become a Tin Pan Alley song plugger . He made rolls for player pianos. This netted him $15 per week. Shy, bookish Ira had made friends with Yip Harburg who wrote songs himself. Ira wrote lyrics for a friend's musical in 1921. In 1919 George wrote the song Swanee - popularized by the era's biggest entertainer - Al Jolson. In 1924 George wrote Rhapsody In Blue , a piano composition that planted jazz and cla