George Bassman

American composer, songwriter ("I'm Getting Sentimental Over You"), conductor, and arranger [born February 7, 1914 – died June 26, 1997].

Born in New York, Bassman was later raised in Boston and studied orchestration/composition at the Boston Conservatory with Toch and Strelitzer. He left home to play piano in a jazz group, and subsequently worked as an arranger for Fletcher Henderson in New York. Between 1931-1934 he arranged for dance orchestras, which is when Bassman and Ned Washington wrote "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" for the bandleader Tommy Dorsey. Bassman then worked in radio as an arranger for André Kostelanetz and CBS between 1934-1936. He joined ASCAP in 1936, and arranged the Broadway musicals "Alive and Kicking" and "Guys and Dolls." Shortly thereafter he moved to Hollywood where he orchestrated George Gershwin's music for "A Damsel in Distress," composed music for films by The Marx Brothers, and wrote or arranged music for such musicals as "Lady Be Good" and "Cabin in the Sky." Bassman also worked on "The Wizard of Oz," "Babes in Arms," and "For Me and My Gal."