PERSONAL REMEMBRANCES
Betty Comden
"Wonderful ideas and beautiful music! We had a wonderful time working together on The Will Rogers Follies and, particularly, On the Twentieth Century, which suggested itself as a comic opera -- that was great fun. Of course, he'll be missed.
Hal David
"Just two days before Cy Coleman passed away, he was in Los Angeles being honored by The Actors' Fund. I was there, honoring Cy, but also enjoying myself listening to him play and sing so many of his great songs. Cy was, in a way, following the great traditions of the composers of Broadway down through the ages and had become one of the greats, himself. In addition to being a composer whom I admired so very much, Cy and I served side by side on the Board of Directors of ASCAP for many, many years. He was not only a great defender and protector of the rights of songwriters, but he was also a great friend. He will be missed by his fellow ASCAP members, but also by music lovers across the globe.
Johnny Mandel
"Anytime I've heard an unfamiliar song that sounded like it possibly could have been written by Cy Coleman, it always turned out to be his. Only Cy Coleman could have written it. Usually, his songs have a "one of a kind" quality. By that I mean there isn't another song like it. For example, find me another "The Best Is Yet to Come." I'll bet you can't. It's unique. Everything else about Cy is unique, as well. He was really one of the best jazz pianists I've ever heard. Cy was also a marvelous guy to hang out with, particularly if you like to laugh. We're all going to miss you, Cy. You sure left a lot of wonderful music and memories behind.
Jimmy Webb
"When I joined the ASCAP Board, Cy was my mentor and best friend. He let me know that if I had a problem or needed anything, I could come to him. One thing I worried about was learning all the music business acronyms. He told me not to worry about it because by the time I learned them all, there'd be a long list of new ones. I thought he was one of the finest pianists I ever heard. My wife, Laura, and I spent October 23, 2004, our wedding night, listening to Cy perform during his last engagement at Feinstein's at the Regency. Laura is a bit younger than me, and I wanted her to experience Cy's playing, which I felt was a spiritual force. Cy dedicated the entire performance to us and played his song, "I Love My Wife," in our honor."
Paul Williams
"Cy was a great combination of `edge' and `twinkle'. It was as if he'd just heard something delicious he couldn't share yet. His wit and intellect could have led him to a life in literature as easily as music. He'd have fit in at the famed Algonquin round table with Dorothy Parker and the like. A great composer of course, but also a wonderfully talented musician. One of the great treats was hearing Cy play and sing his wonderful songs."
David Zippel
"To really understand the enormity of Cy's gift and of his contribution to
music, you have to stand back and look at the
remarkable breadth and at the consistent brilliance
of the body of his work. How could the man who
wrote the syncopated, ultra-hip score to Sweet
Charity have written the Rossini-esque On
the Twentieth Century? And those pop songs!
From "Witchcraft" to "The Best Is Yet to Come,"
Cy continually stretched himself for the love
of the music. In these past few years I know that
Cy was working on at least five new musicals (two
with me). And it would be completely in character
for Cy, and should be of no surprise to anyone
paying attention, that, in fact, the best is yet
to come."
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