What I learned today...

James Lamont Haven Gillespie was born in Covington, Kentucky, one of ten children. Although an excellent student, accounts of his childhood claim he left school after the sixth grade, due in part to a less than ideal family situation. Moving to Chicago to be with an older sister, Gillespie began working at a printing press. In 1909, he found work as a "plug" man, entertaining audiences by playing and singing songs he had written.

By 1912, Haven Gillespie and his family had made the move to New York CIty, where his songs were being published, and on their way to becoming hits. Among his most popular are "You Go to My Head", "Breezing Along with the Breeze", "Drifting and Dreaming", "God's Country", and "The Lucky Old Sun".

When the Covington native was asked to produce a cheery holiday song, the words were written on the back of an envelope while riding the subway in New York City, and reminiscing about his mother's warnings about behaving so Santa wouldn't pass him by on Christmas Eve. Working with composer J. Fred Coots, the two put the perfect tune to the perfect lyrics, and created an unforgettable holiday song,

"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town"