John Raymond Hubbell
Encyclopedia
John Raymond Hubbell also known as Raymond Hubbell, was an American
writer, composer and lyricist. Today he is most remembered for the popular song, "Poor Butterfly
".
Hubbell was born in Urbana
, Illinois
. He attended schools in Urbana and studied music in Chicago, where he formed a dance band. He worked for Charles K. Harris Publishers as a staff arranger
and pianist
. His first composition for stage musicals was in 1902 for a show called Chow Chow, which opened in 1903 in New York
as The Runaways. He began composing music for the Ziegfeld Follies in 1911 and eventually scored seven editions.
In 1915 he was hired as musical director for the Hippodrome
after the previous music director, Manuel Klein
, left abruptly after a disagreement with Lee Shubert
and Jacob J. Shubert
. He continued composing for the theater until 1923. The song he is most remembered for, "Poor Butterfly", was written for one of the first shows he wrote for the Hippodrome, The Big Show. According to his obituary, he thought his best song was "The Ladder of Rose", written for the 1915 Hippodrome hit, Hip-Hip-Hooray.
His last Broadway
work was the score for the 1928 musical Three Cheers, starring Will Rogers
. In reviewing the show, Brooks Atkinson
wrote "Most of the music is unpretentiously melodious." Soon after he retired to Miami, Florida
.
He was one of the founding members of ASCAP in 1914. For 23 years he was head of the membership committee, and for 7 years was its treasurer.
on March 7, 1947. He suffered a serious stroke on November 28, 1954, and died on December 13. He was survived by his wife Estelle, whom he married in about 1914.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer, composer and lyricist. Today he is most remembered for the popular song, "Poor Butterfly
Poor Butterfly
"Poor Butterfly" is a popular song. It was inspired by Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly and contains a brief musical quote from the act 2 duet Tutti i fior in the verse....
".
Hubbell was born in Urbana
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He attended schools in Urbana and studied music in Chicago, where he formed a dance band. He worked for Charles K. Harris Publishers as a staff arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. His first composition for stage musicals was in 1902 for a show called Chow Chow, which opened in 1903 in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as The Runaways. He began composing music for the Ziegfeld Follies in 1911 and eventually scored seven editions.
In 1915 he was hired as musical director for the Hippodrome
Hippodrome
A hippodrome was a Greek stadium for horse racing and chariot racing. The name is derived from the Greek words "hippos and "dromos"...
after the previous music director, Manuel Klein
Manuel Klein
Manuel Joachim Klein was an English-born composer of musical theatre and incidental music who worked primarily in New York City.- Biography :...
, left abruptly after a disagreement with Lee Shubert
Lee Shubert
Levi "Lee" Shubert was a Polish-born American theatre owner/operator and producer and the oldest of seven siblings of the theatrical Shubert family....
and Jacob J. Shubert
Jacob J. Shubert
Jacob J. Shubert was naturalized American theatre owner/operator and producer and a member of the famous theatrical Shubert family....
. He continued composing for the theater until 1923. The song he is most remembered for, "Poor Butterfly", was written for one of the first shows he wrote for the Hippodrome, The Big Show. According to his obituary, he thought his best song was "The Ladder of Rose", written for the 1915 Hippodrome hit, Hip-Hip-Hooray.
His last Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
work was the score for the 1928 musical Three Cheers, starring Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
. In reviewing the show, Brooks Atkinson
Brooks Atkinson
Justin Brooks Atkinson was an American theatre critic. He worked for The New York Times from 1925 to 1960...
wrote "Most of the music is unpretentiously melodious." Soon after he retired to Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
.
He was one of the founding members of ASCAP in 1914. For 23 years he was head of the membership committee, and for 7 years was its treasurer.
Death
Hubbell suffered a mild strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
on March 7, 1947. He suffered a serious stroke on November 28, 1954, and died on December 13. He was survived by his wife Estelle, whom he married in about 1914.
External Links
- Sheet Music for "Just My Style", a number from the musical Fantana, M. Witmark & Sons, 1904.