Here’s a side note about Ralph Peer, a legendary figure in `roots’ music history. Hoagy first made a name for himself in New York, where he was a songwriter for Ralph Peer’s Southern Music Company. Taught to play piano by his mother, Hoagy gained experience playing in jazz bands with Bix Beiderbecke, and there his song-writing talent blossomed. Howard Hoagland Carmichael attended Indiana University and earned a law degree, although he quickly discovered that his real interest lay in music. It has become quite popular for people to have their photos taken with the statue of ‘Hoagy’ and his piano.
I have had several meals at the restaurant where he composed Stardust, and there is a bronze statue in his honor (shown at left) on the Indiana University campus. The other reason I am such a fan is that Hoagy was born and raised in my current home town of Bloomington, Indiana. Statue of Hoagy Carmichael on Indiana University campus.
