Editing Andy Razaf (section)

==Biography==
Razaf was born in 1895 in [[Washington, D.C.]], United States.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> His birth name was Andriamanantena Paul Razafinkarefo. He was the son of Henri Razafinkarefo, nephew of Queen [[Ranavalona III]] of the [[Merina Kingdom|Imerina]] kingdom in Madagascar, and Jennie Razafinkarefo (née Waller), daughter of [[John L. Waller]], the first African American consul to [[Merina Kingdom|Imerina]].<ref name="Past">{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/razaf-andy-1895-1973/|title=Andy Razaf (1895-1973)|website=Blackpast.org|first=Olga|last=Bourlin|date=November 29, 2015|access-date=October 6, 2021}}</ref> The [[Second Madagascar expedition|French invasion of Madagascar]] (1894-95) left Henri dead, and forced pregnant 15-year-old Jennie to escape to the U.S..<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JUjFNpgoZD0C&dq=madagascar+Andy+razaf&pg=PA71|title=Easy to Remember: The Great American Songwriters and Their Songs|first=William|last=Zinsser|page=71/2|date=October 6, 2006|publisher=David R. Godine Publisher|isbn=9781567923254|access-date=October 6, 2021|via=Google Books}}</ref> Razaf was raised in [[Harlem]], [[Manhattan]].

At age 16, Razaf quit school and took a job as an elevator operator in a [[Tin Pan Alley]] office building. A year later he penned his first song text, embarking on his career as a lyricist. During this time he spent many nights in the [[Greyhound Lines]] bus station in [[Times Square]], and picked up his mail at the [[Embassy Five Theatre|Gaiety Theatre office building]], which was considered the black Tin Pan Alley.<ref name="broadway">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rqi3d1925IcC&q=City+Investing+Five+Broadway+Theatres&pg=PA180|title=Broadway: An Encyclopedia|author=Ken Bloom|publisher=Routledge|edition=Second|date=November 11, 2003|isbn=0-415-93704-3}}</ref>

Some of Razaf's early poems were published in 1917–18 in the [[Hubert Harrison]]-edited ''Voice'', the first newspaper of the "[[Harlem Renaissance|New Negro Movement]]". He was a contributor to and editor of the [[Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League]]'s ''[[Negro World]]'' newspaper.<ref name="Past"/>

Razaf's most important collaborator was [[Fats Waller]]. Among the best-known Razaf-Waller songs are "[[Ain't Misbehavin' (song)|Ain't Misbehavin']]", "[[Honeysuckle Rose (song)|Honeysuckle Rose]]", "The Joint Is Jumpin'", "Willow Tree", "[[Keepin' Out of Mischief Now]]" and "[[(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue]]". Razaf also worked with other composers including [[Eubie Blake]], [[James P. Johnson]], [[J. C. Johnson]], [[Don Redman]] and [[Harry Brooks (composer)|Harry Brooks]].<ref name="LarkinGE"/> His songs were played by them and other songwriter-performers, as well as by [[Cab Calloway]], [[Benny Goodman]] and many other musicians. He wrote a number of raunchy "character" blues-type songs that were sung by many 1920s female blues singers.{{example needed|date=May 2025}}

Though primarily a lyricist, Razaf wrote both the words and the music of many songs, though none became as well known as his collaborations with other composers.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Singer |first1=Barry |title=Black and Blue: The Life and Lyrics of Andy Razaf |date=1992 |publisher=Schirmer Books |location=New York |isbn=0-02-872395-3 |pages=390-406}}</ref>

Razaf also made many recordings as a vocalist, of both his own songs and others', most in the late 1920s,{{sfn|Singer|1992|p=416-417}} as a soloist (sometimes on ukelele) and with musicians including James P. Johnson{{citation needed|date=May 2025}} and [[Fletcher Henderson]].

He married Annabelle Miller in 1915 but abandoned her within a few years.{{sfn|Singer|1992|p=158-162}} He was married to [[Jean Blackwell Hutson]] from 1939 to 1947<ref>{{Cite news|last=Smith|first=Dinitia|date=1998-02-07|title=Jean Hutson, Schomburg Chief, Dies at 83 (Published 1998)|language=en-US|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/07/arts/jean-hutson-schomburg-chief-dies-at-83.html|access-date=2021-02-09|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>, to Dorothy Carpenter from 1948 to around 1960{{sfn|Singer|1992|p=321,341}}, and to Alicia Wilson Georgiade from 1963 until his death.{{sfn|Singer|1992|p=345-346}}

In 1972, Razaf was recognized by his Tin Pan Alley peers when he was inducted in the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]].<ref name="SHOF">{{cite web|url=http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exhibit_home_page.asp?exhibitId=305|title=Songwriters Hall of Fame website|website=Songwritershalloffame.org|access-date=5 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080402040910/http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exhibit_home_page.asp?exhibitId=305|archive-date=April 2, 2008|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> He died in [[North Hollywood, California]] in February 1973 from [[renal failure]], aged 77.<ref name="Past"/>