Doc Pomus

Doc Pomus (born Jan. 27, 1925, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died March 14, 1991, New York) was an American songwriter who teamed with Mort Shuman to write some of the most memorable rock and pop songs in the Brill Building style of the early 1960s.

Pomus, who began singing in jazz and blues clubs as a teenager, met pianist Shuman during a recording session. Together (Shuman wrote most of the music and Pomus the lyrics) they crafted bluesy teen-oriented songs that were recorded primarily by Atlantic Records artists, notably the Drifters (“Save the Last Dance for Me” and “This Magic Moment”). They also wrote more than 20 songs for Elvis Presley, including “Little Sister,” “Viva Las Vegas,” and “Surrender.” The author of more than 1,000 songs, Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.