Johnny Lehmann

Johnny Lehmann (February 12, 1920—October 28, 2000) was an American songwriter and composer in the 1940s through 1960s. He wrote songs for many famed musicians of the time, including Tennessee Ernie Ford, Tony Bennett, Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gormé, and Mario Lanza.

He also wrote songs and composed music for film and television.

Johnny Lehmann was born John Frank Lehmann in Chicago, Illinois, on February 12, 1920, to Frank Lehmann (1898–1940) and Margaret Heckel Lehmann (1900–2001).

Johnny Lehmann began his professional songwriting career in the 1940s.

In the mid-1940s, Lehmann and Allie Wrubel wrote "Why Does It Get So Late So Early?" which was recorded in 1946 by Dick Haymes and Helen Forrest; Betty Barclay and Don Cornell; Ray Kellogg, Harry James and His Orchestra; and Kitty Kallen With Sonny Burke And His Orchestra. The following year, Mel Tormé with Artie Shaw and His Orchestra recorded his composition of "Don't You Believe It Dear" on Musicraft Records.

Lehmann kept busy in the late 1940s and the 1950s with many hits, such as:

• "The Better To Love You" - Sherman Hayes And His Orchestra, 1947
• "An Old Piano (That Played By Itself)" - Freddie Slack And His Orchestra, 1948
• "He Can Come Back Anytime He Wants" - June Christy, 1950
• "Goodnight Pillow" - Jo Stafford With Paul Weston And His Orchestra, 1950
• "Love Like Ours" - Lisa Kirk With Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra And Chorus, 1950
• "Lee-Ah-Loo", co-written with Ray Sinatra (Frank Sinatra's cousin) - Mario Lanza, 1952
• "I'm Gonna Be A Long Time Forgetting You", co-written with Robert Mellin - Troy Travis with Hugo Winterhalter And His Orchestra, 1955
• "First Born" - Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1956
• "A Child's First Christmas", co-written with Stanley Lebowsky - Jan Peerce With Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra And Chorus, 1957
• "Majorca", co-written with Louis "Loulou" Gasté - Myrna Fox with Monty Kelly And His Orchestra, 1957
• "Saturday After The Game" - Kenny Rankin, 1957
• "Well, Sir" - Julie London, 1958
• "You're Looking At Me" - Johnny Nash, 1958
• "Love Is All" - Jackie Wilson, 1959
• "One Step From Heaven", co-written with Herb Miller - Gloria Lynne, 1960
• "Let's" - Sarah Vaughan, 1960
• "Ah! Quelle Joie" co-composed with Christian Jollet, Ed Koral, and Fernand Bonifay - Annie Fratellini, 1960
• "To Please My Lady", co-written with Monty Kelly - Al Martino, 1961
• "When You're Around" - Artie Shaw, 1965
• "And I Held On Tighter To His Hand" - Patti Michelle, 1968
• "The Giant", co-written with Paul Mauriat - John Raitt, 1970

Film score composition and songwriting

• Track "Lee-Ah-Loo" for Because You're Mine (1952), Director Alexander Hall; Starring: Mario Lanza, Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore
• Track "Elaine" for War Paint (1953), Director: Lesley Selander; Starring: Robert Stack, Joan Taylor, Charles McGraw
• Track "Island in The Sky" for Island in the Sky (1953), Director: William A. Wellman; Starring: John Wayne, Lloyd Nolan, Walter Abel
• Track "Rockin' on Saturday Night" for Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956), Director: Edward L. Cahn; Starring: Mike Connors, Lisa Gaye, Sterling Holloway
• Track "First Born" for the TV series The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (1956), Starring: Tennessee Ernie Ford
• Music for The Man from the Diners' Club (1963), Director: Frank Tashlin; Starring: Danny Kaye, Cara Williams, Martha Hyer

Advertising

After retiring in the late seventies, Lehmann worked on advertising campaigns for radio, television, and print.

In 1954, Lehmann married singer Married Evelyn Knight. 

Lehmann died in Phoenix, Arizona, on October 28, 2000, at age 80.