Jay Gorney
Jay Gorney was an
American theater and film song writer. He was born Abraham Jacob Gornetzsky in
Bialystock,
Russia (now part of
Poland) on
December 12,
1894. In
1906, he witnessed the Bialystock
pogrom which forced his family into hiding for nearly two weeks, after which they fled to the United States. His family settled in
Detroit, Michigan where his father became an engineer at the newly formed
Ford Motor Company. His mother bought a piano for her children. After two years of lessons, at age 13, Gorney was offered a job as a pianist at a local
nickelodeon.
He worked his way through the
University of Michigan and later law school, as a pianist. His studies were interrupted by
World War I, during which he enlisted in the
Navy. After graduating, he practice law only briefly, but turned instead to his love of music, relocating with his wife to
New York City, where he began his song writing career on
Tin Pan Alley. He contributed numerous songs to musicals by the
Shubert brothers. Later,
Ira Gershwin introduced him to lyricist
Yip Harburg, who became a frequent collaborator. The pair's most famous song, "
Brother Can You Spare A Dime" first appeared in the 1932 Shubert production of
New Americana.Gorney's daughter
Karen Lynn Gorney is an actress and dancer, was part of the original cast of
All My Children and played opposite
John Travolta in
Saturday Night Fever.
Gorney died on
June 14, 1990.
Gorney's 2005 biography,
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? The Life of Composer Jay Gorney, was written by his wife Sondra.
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SondraGorney.com - Website of Jay Gorney's widow, Sondra, featuring information on her late husband
