Walter Donaldson was one of Tin Pan Alley's most successful composers, creating hundreds of popular songs from 1915 through the 1940s. Born in Brooklyn in 1893, Donaldson collaborated primarily with lyricist Gus Kahn on over 100 songs. His most prolific period from 1925 to 1928 produced enduring hits including "Yes Sir, That's My Baby," "My Blue Heaven," "Love Me or Leave Me," and "Makin' Whoopee." His catalog also includes "You're Driving Me Crazy," which became a jazz standard, and "My Mammy," immortalized by Al Jolson. Donaldson's partnership with Kahn yielded sophisticated songs that bridged vaudeville, Broadway, and Hollywood. He moved to Hollywood in the 1930s and died in Santa Monica in 1947.
