Since I started this thread, I have to apologetically correct my mistakes ...
I asked if any great pop writer did his best work real early, then never had hits again, referencing Jimmy Webb. Yes, I correct myself: Cat Stevens was even an earlier casualty. Cat wrote his first (and best) three or four A&M albums at one blow, while he was hospitalized for TB at age 18 or maybe 19? ... of course most 60s-70s poppers/rockers were kind of losing their step, as well as their place on the charts, by the time they were 25 or so ... the writers of the Great American Songbook on the other hand, kept going on and on in their 50s, 60s maybe, until Elvis and the Beatles beat them, and they were probably living hand to mouth by that point.
Unfortunately the rule the last few decades is (sorry to say): "Don't trust any songwriter over 30." ... Nowdays the good melody writers must be in seclusion so I can't tell. (please enlighten me!)
Let me commend again Jimmy Webb's autobiography of a few years ago, it's full of every aspect of songwriting, lots you never thought of, well as his interesting life story. He was in Dallas tonite and I missed him! My complaint: I got a bunch of his early solo LPs but nothing moved me much relative to his hits. Prolly my fault.
Big omission of mine: Barry Mann of Mann/Weil. It seems he left the scene a great while ago, but here's the latest off
www.mann-weil.com: "6/30/2008 – Barry and Cynthia joined legendary songwriters, Hal David, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Alan Bergman, Paul Williams, Melissa Manchester, Charles Fox and Bill Withers and special guest artists, Steve Tyrell and Korie Withers in performing at the "The Songs Of Our Lives" benefit concert at The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. The concert benefited The Fulfillment Fund. The Fund works to help disadvantaged students graduate from high school, helps them successfully complete college and transition into the working world." ... wish I was there ..
Ovation or some cable channel used to broadcast the BMI (?) songwriters annual awards, inducting songwriter of the year etc. ... but I haven't seen it in two or three years. Has anybody come across this the last few years? ...
Last Question: to you writers and wise cats here, who of the "great American songwriters," writers of music or lyrics, are still among us nowadays? Kind of thinking that any song Sinatra recorded for Capitol, are any of those writers still with us? My brain isn't so good now. I wish I had called up Jimmy Van Heusen and so many departed in the last 15+ years, to buy him a beer. Sigh. ...