Doc Pomus

Doc Pomus (born Jerome Solon Felder, January 27, 1925 in Brooklyn, NY; died of lung cancer March 14, 1991 in New York City, NY) was a pioneering American songwriter and, initially, a blues singer whose lyrics helped define early rock ’n’ roll and pop. His achievements center on his partnership with Mort Shuman, his catalog of hits for legend artists (over 20 for Elvis Presley alone), his lasting institutional recognition and regard as a “founding father” of popular music who moved from a crutch-using blues shouter in Greenwich Village clubs to a behind-the-scenes architect of rock ’n’ roll’s golden age.

From 1956 onward, Pomus (lyrics) and Mort Shuman (music) formed one of the most successful Brill Building–era teams, writing bluesy, teen-oriented songs that dominated Atlantic Records and beyond. Their collaboration produced dozens of chart hits and is credited with shaping the sound and style of early 1960s rock and pop.

Pomus credits include over 1,000 songs and about 561 registered copyrights; estimates suggest sales of around 100 million recordings featuring his work. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 (Non-Performer, posthumously) and received multiple Grammy Awards. He was awarded the Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and was a founder and trustee of that organization, helping support overlooked R&B artists. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Pomus and Shuman together as No. 61 on its list of the 100 greatest songwriters of all time. Husband of Willi Burke.