Overbrook High School Alumni
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PA)
Bobb Goldsteinn
Songwriter/producer; coined term "multimedia"[17]
What is Bobb Goldsteinn known for?
Bobb Goldsteinn, born as Bob Goldstein on June 10, 1936 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and arranger. He is an alumnus of Overbrook High School, Philadelphia, known for his diverse contributions in the fields of pop, rock, and folk music.
Goldsteinn began writing songs while in junior high school and continued through college, which ultimately led him to win an audition to write songs and sketches at the Tamiment Playhouse in the Pocono Mountains of Eastern Pennsylvania. Here, his partners included famed personalities Woody Allen and Billy Goldenberg.
He then moved to New York City, where he became an assistant to Burt Shevelove. Thereafter, his career took him back to Philadelphia and then again to New York where he joined the first class of writers at the innovative BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. During his time in New York, Goldsteinn worked with John Gluck, and they were signed on as staff writers by Jerry Leiber of Leiber and Stoller Music.
One of Goldsteinn's most significant achievements was the creation of the song "Washington Square", which he had originally written as a high school student under the name "India". His distinct "folk-dixie" arrangement of the tune synthesized folk, jazz and Dixieland, marking the first hyphenated arrangement in pop music. This song, recorded by The Village Stompers, became a worldwide hit in 1963 and 1964, even reaching No. 2 in the United States and holding the No. 1 spot on the Japanese charts for six months. In Japan, it sold over 800,000 copies, earning a Gold Record. "Washington Square" was also nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1964 - Best Instrumental Arrangement and Best Instrumental Theme.
Goldsteinn's musical prowess and contributions to the pop music scene have left a remarkable imprint. He's not only an accomplished songwriter and producer but also a notable alumnus of Overbrook High School, Philadelphia.