Today in Indiana History

November 22 , 2008

Hoagy Carmichael was born on this day in 1899. A native of Bloomington and graduate of Indiana University, the composer of "Stardust" was raised on music. As a child he slept on two collapsible chairs while his mother played for school dances. A self-taught pianist, Carmichael performed with a number of bands in his youth. Though he received a law degree from IU and practiced law for a brief time, he decided to pursue his interest in music. In the course of his career he composed dozens of hit songs. Carmichael appeared in several movies and television programs, and in 1951 he won an Academy Award for his song "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening." He died in 1981.