John La Touche

John Treville Latouche (November 13, 1914 in Richmond, Virginia – August 7, 1956 in Calais, Vermont) was a musician and writer.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Latouche's family moved to Richmond, Virginia when he was four months old. Much of his work included Rabelaisan humor and was therefore often censored or protested. He attended Columbia University but never graduated.

In 1937 he had two songs in the revue, "Pins and Needles" and in 1939 for the show "Sing For Your Supper" he did the lyrics for "Ballad for Uncle Sam," later retitled "Ballad for Americans" with music by Earl Robinson. It was featured at both the 1939 Republican Convention and the convention of the American Communist Party.

Most famously, he wrote the Ballad for Americans that was extremely popular in 1940s America. This 13-minute cantata to American democracy was written for a soloist and as well as a full orchestra. The music was written by Earl Robinson. When performed on the CBS radio network by singer Paul Robeson, it became a national success. Subsequently, both Robeson and Bing Crosby regularly performed it.

He provided the lyrics for Vernon Duke's "Cabin in the Sky" (1940) and "Banjo Eyes" which starred Eddie Cantor (1941). He wrote the book and lyrics for "The Golden Apple" in 1954 with music by Jerome Moross, which won the New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical. For Leonard Bernstein's "Candide" he provided additional lyrics in 1955. He also wrote the libretto to Douglas Moore's opera "The Ballad of Baby Doe," one of the few American operas to join the standard repertoire.

He was a protégé of James Branch Cabell and friends with writer Jack Woodford. Latouche dated Louella Woodford when they were both teenagers.

Latouche died of a sudden heart attack at his Calais, Vermont home at the age of 41,

Works

* "Walpurgis Eve" (1928 play)
* "Flair-Flair, the Idol of Paree" (1935 musical)
* "Ballad for Americans" (1939 cantata)
* "Beggar's Holiday" (1946 musical)
* "Ballad of Baby Doe" (1956 opera)

External links

* [http://www.babydoe.org/latouche.htm Photo and Bio.]