Karl Suessdorf was an American songwriter and composer born in Valdez, Alaska, in 1911, best known for writing the music to Moonlight in Vermont, one of the most recorded jazz standards of the twentieth century. Composed in 1944 with lyrics by John Blackburn, the song was introduced by Margaret Whiting with Billy Butterfield's Orchestra and became her signature recording. The tune is notable in the standard repertoire for its unusual structure, with verses that do not rhyme and lines of irregular length, lending it a distinctive poetic quality. Beyond this signature achievement, Suessdorf maintained a modest but varied catalog of songs through collaborations with several lyricists. Key Largo, written with Benny Carter and Leah Worth and inspired by the 1948 John Huston film, was recorded by Sarah Vaughan and Marian McPartland. Did Anyone Ever Tell You, Mrs. Murphy?, co-written with Leah Worth and Lloyd Sloan, became a hit for Perry Como in 1949. Other works include I Wish I Knew and Susquehanna, both with Blackburn. Suessdorf died in Fallbrook, California, in 1982.
