Mabel Wayne

Who was Mabel Wayne?

Mabel Wayne was an American songwriter. She is an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, where she is credited as being the first woman composer to publish a hit song.

She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and studied piano in Switzerland and then at the New York School of Music. She performed as a concert pianist and singer, and as a dancer in vaudeville. In 1925, she co-wrote the music to the hit song "Don’t Wake Me Up, Let Me Dream", with lyrics provided by L. Wolfe Gilbert. She also wrote the hit songs "Ramona", also with Gilbert; "In a Little Spanish Town", with Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young; "It Happened in Monterey", with Billy Rose; and "I Understand", with Kim Gannon. She was particularly noted for her Latin-tinged songs. She wrote songs for the 1930 film King of Jazz, and later wrote for British films, including Dance Band.

Mabel Wayne was inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. She died at Glen Cove, Long Island, in 1978 at the age of 73.