Richard Rodgers was an American composer best known for two major Broadway songwriting partnerships. Early in his career he teamed with lyricist Lorenz Hart from 1919 into the early 1940s, producing musicals such as “On Your Toes” (1936), “Babes in Arms” (1937), and “Pal Joey” (1940), and standards including “Manhattan,” “My Funny Valentine,” and “Blue Moon” (1934), a rare Rodgers and Hart song not written for a specific show. After Hart’s death in 1943, Rodgers began his celebrated later partnership with Oscar Hammerstein II.

As half of two of Broadway’s most important songwriting teams, Rodgers helped define the American musical theatre standard repertoire; his melodies for “Blue Moon” and other Rodgers and Hart songs remain jazz and pop standards performed to this day.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Rodgers