Terry Gross

Lyricist Sammy Cahn is one of the last survivors of the Tin Pan Alley tradition. His popular hits include "Bei Mir Bist du Schon," "Come Fly With Me," "Let it Snow," and "Three Coins in a Fountain," among others. Cahn has also worked extensively with Frank Sinatra. He joins the show to discuss his career. (Segment)

Dorough was musical director of the 1970s educational TV series School House Rock and composer of the popular song "Three is a Magic Number." Contemporary artists such as Blind Melon, The Lemonheads and Pavement covered the songs on the CD Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks.

Moss was one of the original creators and writers of Sesame Street. Moss created Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch, and wrote such songs as "Rubber Ducky" and "People in Your Neighborhood." He won 14 Emmys, four Grammys and an Academy Award nomination for his work on Sesame Street and with the Muppets. Moss was also the author of books for children, including Hieronymus White: A Bird Who Believed That He Always Was Right. He died in 1998 at the age of 56.

Loesser, daughter of composer Frank Loesser, takes us behind the scenes during the golden age of the Broadway musical. Her father wrote the score for Guys and Dolls as well as the classic songs "Heart and Soul" and "Baby It's Cold Outside." Loesser's 1993 memoir of her father is "A Most Happy Fella."

The grandson of singer-songwriter Jimmy McHugh, he and his family manage the estate of the legendary artist. Songwriter Jimmy McHugh was famous in the 40s and 50s for songs like "The Sunny Side of the Street." McHugh talks about the resurgence of interest in his grandfather's jazz standards.

Hammerstein, who died in January of 1999, was the son of the great Broadway lyricist Oscar Hammerstein, whose many hits include The Sound of Music, The King and I and Oklahoma! The younger Hammerstein was a producer, director and stage manager for many productions.

Since the 1950's Cook has been in countless Broadway musicals — Oklahoma, The King and I, and Leonard Bernstein's Candide to name a few. She's been called a "no nonsense singer... able to thrust with gentility of tone." She won a Tony Award for her part as "Marian the librarian" which she originated in The Music Man.

He co-wrote the songs for many Broadway hits, including Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me and The Apple Tree. His collaborator on these projects was Jerry Bock. Their partnership broke up in the 1970s and Harnick worked on translating operettas into English.

We present two interviews from the archives: a 1987 concert featuring ballads and popular songs, and a 1988 Christmas concert performed by the jazz vocalist. She considered Billie Holliday her main influence. McCorkle died in May of 2001, of an apparent suicide.

He's written the scores for several Broadway shows, including Finian's Rainbow and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. Lane died in November of 1997.