Jerry Herman

Jerry Herman (born Gerald Herman, 1931, in New York, died 2019) was one of the most successful composers and lyricists of the American musical theater's golden era. He wrote both music and lyrics for his shows, a rare combination that gave his work a tight, unified sense of melody and character. His breakthrough came with «Hello, Dolly!», followed by «Mame» and later «La Cage aux Folles», each anchored by a soaring title-character anthem that became a showstopper in its own right.

Herman's style favored big, hummable, optimistic melodies and direct, warm-hearted lyrics, standing apart from the more experimental musical theater trends of his time. Songs such as «It Only Takes a Moment», «Before the Parade Passes By», and «We Need a Little Christmas» became standards well beyond their original shows, covered by pop and jazz vocalists and embedded in the American holiday and theatrical songbook. His work for «La Cage aux Folles», including «If He Walked into My Life», also made him a pioneering voice for LGBTQ representation on Broadway.

Over his career Herman received multiple Tony Awards and Grammy Awards, and was later honored for his lifetime contribution to American musical theater, including recognition at the Kennedy Center. His melodies remain widely performed in cabaret, cast recordings, and revivals, cementing his place as one of Broadway's most enduringly popular songwriters.