Collection Summary
Boots Family Papers of Vincent Youmans
1924-1975
1927-1959
1924-1975
1927-1959
ML31.Y55
Youmans, Vincent, 1898-1946
Boots, Mildred
35 items
2
containers
1.25
linear feet
English
Collection material in English
Music Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Vincent Youmans was a producer, publisher, and composer of shows and popular songs. The collection consists of piano-vocal scores, lead sheets, lyric sheets, clippings, photographs, and a memoir written by Youmans' second wife, Mildred Boots.
Acquisition Information
Gift, Nancy Boots Edwards-Cogswell, 2007
Custodial History
These items were once in the possession of Nancy's aunt, Mildred Boots, who was Vincent Youmans' second wife.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Processing History
Jane Cross processed the Boots Family Papers of Vincent Youmans, and Cross and Rachel McNellis coded the finding aid, in
2021.
Transfers
Sound recordings from the
Boots Family Papers of Vincent Youmans have been transferred to the Library of Congress
Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division.
Related Material
The [Vincent Youmans Music Manuscripts], which are approximately 200 manuscripts donated by Youmans' children, are classed in ML96.Y67. Other works by Youmans are classed in M1505.Y68. Youmans' works that are primarily manuscripts in the hands of arrangers are classed in M1505.Y69
The [American/Century Play Company Scripts and Business Papers] contain scripts for two shows by Vincent Youmans.
The Gerald Bordman Audio Materials (MAVIS no. 5311) at the Library of Congress
Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division contain cassette recordings of interviews with Vincent Youmans that were made in the process of writing a biography.
Copyright Status
Materials from the Boots Family Papers of Vincent Youmans are governed by the Copyright
Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.) and other applicable international copyright
laws.
Access and Restrictions
The Boots Family Papers of Vincent Youmans are open to research. Researchers are advised
to contact the Music Division prior to visiting in order to determine whether the
desired materials will be available at that time.
Certain restrictions on using or copying materials may apply.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
[item, date, container number],
Boots Family Papers of Vincent Youmans, Music Division, Library of Congress, Washington,
D.C.
Biographical Note: Vincent Youmans
Date
Event
1898 September 27
Born in New York City, New York, to Vincent M. Youmans and Lucy Gibson
Youmans
circa 1903
Began studying piano
circa 1904
circa 1916
Studied at the Trinity School in Mamaroneck, New York, and at Heathcote Hall in
Rye, New York
circa 1916
Briefly studied engineering at Yale University
Worked as a runner on Wall Street for several weeks
circa 1917
1918
Enlisted in the United States Navy during World War I and composed shows
for the troops at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois
John Philip Sousa adapted one of Youmans' marches for the Navy bands, and
Youmans later reworked it for the song "Hallelujah!" in the musical
Hit the Deck
1918
Worked as a song plugger and made piano rolls for the Aeolian
Company
Studied with composer and pianist Felix Arndt
1920
Publication of his first song, "The Country Cousin," with lyrics by Alfred
Bryan
Worked as a rehearsal pianist for Victor Herbert's
Oui Madame
when Max Dreyfus of T. B. Harms Publishing Company recognized his
talent
Contributed two songs, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin (under pseudonym Arthur
Francis), to the revue
Piccadilly to Broadway
at Dreyfus's recommendation
1921
Collaborated with Ira Gershwin on
Two Little Girls in Blue,
which included Youmans' first hit song "Oh Me! Oh My!"
1921
1927
Signed a contract with T. B. Harms Publishing Company
1923
Wrote the score for
The Wildflower
with producer Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist Otto Harbach, and composer
Herbert Stothart
1925
Composed the score for the internationally successful
No, No, Nanette,
which included the songs "Tea for Two" and "I Want to Be Happy" with
lyrics by Irving Caesar
1927 February 7
Married Anne Varley (divorced 1933)
1927
Birth of twins Vincent and Cecily
Produced and composed the score for
Hit the Deck
Formed his own publishing company, Vincent Youmans, Inc.
1928
1932
Produced several unsuccessful shows, although many of their songs gained
enduring popularity
1932
Composed songs for
Take a Chance
1933
Wrote the score for the film
Flying Down to Rio,
which included his hit song "Carioca"
1934
Stopped composing due to tuberculosis
1935
Married Mildred Boots (divorced 1946)
1944 January 27
Opened the unsuccessful Vincent Youmans Ballet Revue in New York City
1946 April 5
Died in Denver, Colorado
1970
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
Biographical Note: Mildred Boots Youmans
Mildred Antoinette Boots was born to Charles G. and Katherine Killen Boots on July 25, 1905, in Rochester, Indiana. She performed with the Ziegfeld Follies in New York City. Boots and Vincent Youmans married in October 1935 in Castle Rock, Colorado. She obtained a divorce after more than 10 years of marriage, three months before he died. They did not have any children. She then married Gustave Schirmer, president of G. Schirmer, Inc. and Boston Music Company, on February 2, 1947. Boots died on October 19, 1990, in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Scope and Content Note
The Boots Family Papers of Vincent Youmans span from 1924 to 1975, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1927 to 1959. The [Music](ead10001) series primarily contains printed piano-vocal scores for songs by Vincent Youmans. There are also lead sheets, lyric sheets, a manuscript piano-vocal score, and an unpublished copyright deposit for
It's the Goods!
, a musical comedy by Frank Loesser, Frank Provo, John Pickard, and David Mann. The [Miscellany](ead10016) series consists of clippings about Youmans' marriage to Mildred Boots and his death, a list of his compositions, a periodical containining an article about him, several photographs of Youmans, and a memoir written by Boots.
Organization of the Boots Family Papers of Vincent Youmans
The collection is arranged in two series:
-
[Music, 1924-1970](ead10001)
-
[Miscellany, 1935-1975](ead10016)
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Boots, Mildred--Archives.
Boots, Mildred.
Bordman, Gerald Martin.
Loesser, Frank, 1910-1969.
Youmans, Vincent, 1898-1946.
Youmans, Vincent, 1898-1946.
Subjects
Composers' spouses--United States--Biographies.
Composers--United States--Biographies.
Popular music--United States.
Form/Genre
Autobiographies.
Autographs (Manuscripts)
Bibliographies.
Clippings (Information artifacts)
Leed sheets.
Musicals.
Photographs.
Poetry.
Scores.
Songs.
Vocal scores.
Container List
1
Music, 1924-1970
1924-1970
This series primarily contains printed piano-vocal scores of songs by Vincent Youmans for shows such as
Flying Down to Rio
,
No, No, Nanette
,
Great Day!
, and
Hit the Deck
. Of interest are the lead sheets bound with dialogue for
It's the Goods!
, a musical comedy written by Frank Loesser, Frank Provo, John Pickard, and David Mann for the Quartermaster Corps. All works are by Vincent Youmans unless otherwise noted.
Arranged alphabetically by title.
1/1
Cherry, 1969-1970
1969-1970
Music by Tom Baird; lyrics by Ron Miller
Lead sheets; lyric sheets
Note: Based on the
Willim Inge play Bus Stop
1/2
Flying Down to Rio, 1933
1933
Piano-vocal score
1/3
Great Day, 1929
1929
Piano-vocal score
1/4
Hallelujah! from Hit the Deck, 1927
1927
Piano-vocal score
1/5
I Want to Be Happy from No, No, Nanette, 1924
1924
Piano-vocal score
1/6
It's the Goods!, 1945
1945
Music by David Mann and Frank Loesser; lyrics by
Frank Loesser, Frank Provo, John Pickard, and David Mann
Lead sheets bound with dialogue
Note: Unpublished
copyright deposit for a musical comedy written for the Quartermaster
Corps
1/7
Kinda Like You from Smiling Through, undated
undated
Manuscript piano-vocal score
1/8
The Man I Used to Be, undated
undated
Lyric sheets
1/9
More Than You Know, 1929, 1946, 1956
1929,
1946, 1956
Piano-vocal scores
1/10
Orchids in the Moonlight from
Flying Down to Rio, 1933
1933
Piano-vocal score
1/11
Sometimes I'm Happy from Hit the Deck, 1927
1927
Piano-vocal score
1/12
Through the Years, 1959
1959
Piano-vocal score
1/13
Time on My Hands from Smiles, 1930, 1958
1930,
1958
Piano-vocal scores
1/14
Without a Song from Great Day!, 1929, 1957
1929,
1957
Piano-vocal scores
2
Miscellany, 1935-1975
1935-1975
This series contains clippings, a list of compositions by Vincent Youmans, a 1975 edition of
ASCAP Today
containing an article about Youmans, and a few photographs of Youmans. Of particular note is the memoir written by Youmans' second wife, Mildred Boots.
Arranged alphabetically by format.
2/1
Clippings, 1935, 1946, 1954
1935,
1946, 1954
2/2
List of compositions, undated
undated
2/3
Memoir, "Living with Genius",
undated
undated
By Mildred Boots Youmans Schirmer
Manuscript
2/4
Periodical, ASCAP Today, 1975
1975
2/5
Photographs, circa 1935
circa
1935