7 The 100 Most Influential Musicians of All Time 7and by playing in New York nightclubs. His most impor-
tant job in this period was his stint as a song plugger,
working very long hours demonstrating sheet music for
the Jerome Remick music-publishing company. Although
Gershwin’s burgeoning creativity was hampered by his
three-year stint in “plugger’s purgatory,” it was neverthe-
less an experience that greatly improved his dexterity and
increased his skills at improvisation and transposing.
While still in his teens, Gershwin worked as an accompanist
for popular singers and as a rehearsal pianist for Broadway
musicals. In 1916 he composed his first published song,
“When You Want ’Em You Can’t Get ’Em (When You’ve
Got ’Em You Don’t Want ’Em),” as well as his first solo
piano composition, “Rialto Ripples.” He began to attract
the attention of Broadway luminaries.
These early experiences greatly increased Gershwin’s
knowledge of jazz and popular music. He enjoyed especially
the songs of Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern and he was
inspired by their work to compose for the Broadway stage.
In 1919 entertainer Al Jolson performed the Gershwin song
“Swanee” in the musical Sinbad; it became an enormous
success, selling more than two million recordings and a
million copies of sheet music, and making Gershwin an
overnight celebrity. Also in 1919, Gershwin composed his
first “serious” work, the Lullaby for string quartet.
Rhapsody in Blue
During the next few years, Gershwin contributed songs to
various Broadway shows and revues. From 1920 to 1924 he
composed scores for the annual productions of George
White’s Scandals, the popular variety revue. For the Scandals
production of 1922, Gershwin convinced producer White
to incorporate a one-act jazz opera. This work, Blue Monday