Sherman Edwards - Definition and Overview

Sherman Edwards (April 4, 1919 - March 30, 1981) was an American songwriter. He was born in New York City. Edwards taught history at high school before entering the entertainment industry.

Edwards wrote:

• "Broken Hearted Melody" (words by Hal David), a 1959 hit for Sarah Vaughan
• "Dungaree Doll!" (words by Ben Raleigh), a 1955 hit for Eddie Fisher
• "Flaming Star" (words by Sid Wayne), the theme song for the 1960 Elvis Presley film
• "Johnny Get Angry" (words by Hal David), a 1962 hit for Joanie Sommers
• "Wonderful, Wonderful" (words by Ben Raleigh), a 1957 success for Johnny Mathis.

Edwards' crowning achievement was the musical 1776 for which he wrote both lyrics and music. The show depicts the meeting of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia culminating with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It opened at the 46th Street Theatre on March 16, 1969 and ran for 1217 performances. It won a Tony Award for Best Musical.