George Gershwin (1898–1937) was an American composer and pianist whose work bridged the worlds of classical music and popular jazz. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents, Gershwin began his career as a song plugger in Tin Pan Alley before rising to fame with hits like Swanee and Rhapsody in Blue (1924), a groundbreaking composition that fused jazz rhythms with orchestral sophistication.

Gershwin went on to compose Broadway musicals with his lyricist brother Ira Gershwin, including Funny Face, Girl Crazy, and Of Thee I Sing—the latter becoming the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His symphonic works like An American in Paris (1928) and the Piano Concerto in F (1925) further solidified his place as a serious composer. His magnum opus, the opera Porgy and Bess (1935), combined classical form with African American spirituals, blues, and folk traditions, producing iconic songs such as Summertime.

Gershwin died of a brain tumor at the age of 38, leaving behind a legacy that continues to influence both classical and popular music. His ability to blend genres created a distinctly American sound that helped define 20th-century music.

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