Mike Stoller at Home, August 2018.

All Photos by Paul Zollo

The Great Song Adventure had the glorious privilege of interviewing Mike Stoller, one of the world’s most legendary living songwriters, at his beautiful home high in the hills above Los Angeles, summer of `18. 

With his partner, Jerry Leiber, who mostly wrote lyrics as Mike mostly wrote the music (though this overlapped at times), he’s the writer of countless classic songs, songs which are all modern standards now, including “Stand By Me” (written with and performed by Ben E. King), “Spanish Harlem (written with Phil Spector), “Is That All There Is?”, “Love Potion # 9,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Kansas City,” “Hound Dog” and more. Much more. 

So as to ensure their songs would be well-produced, they became producers – even before that term was used. (“We preferred ‘director’ to ‘producer’,” Mike said. “But we were over-ruled.”  )

This is Part 2 of our two-part interview, recorded in August, 2018. 

   
Mike with Louise Goffin

All Photos by PAUL ZOLLO
Paul Zollo Photography