Tchaikovsky (song) Stanisław Moniuszko, Witold Maliszewski and Leopold Godowsky are actually Polish, not Russian, but all three were born in what was then part of the Russian Empire. Ira Gershwin began his career writing lyrics for his brother George Gershwin. Ira, the more self-effacing of the Gershwin brothers, was concerned that music publishers might think that George had chosen him as lyricist on the basis of nepotism rather than talent, so Ira originally chose to write lyrics under the pseudonym "Arthur Francis" (derived from the names of his other brother Arthur and his sister Frances). The song was originally a nonsense poem
Ira Hall Ira Hall Ira Hall (2 February 1892 Martinsville, Indiana – 6 February 1987 Tarpon Springs, Florida) was an American racecar driver. Hall was later elected sheriff of Vigo County, Indiana. Though Hall had several starts in the Indianapolis 500, his greatest fame was gained on the dirt tracks of the Midwest, primarily Indiana and Illinois. He was widely recognized as one of the greatest dirt track drivers of his era, reportedly winning as many as 100 races in a season on what was known as "the suicide circuit." He was seriously injured in the fall of 1927 at George Rogers