Born 101 Years Ago Today in New Jersey, the Three-Time Oscar-Nominated Songwriter Who Wrote for Frank Sinatra and Found Her Voice After Heartbreak

Dory Previn, born in New Jersey on 22 October 1925, became an acclaimed film lyricist before turning to deeply personal songwriting after her marriage to composer Andre Previn ended in 1970. Her candid songs drew on heartbreak, her childhood and mental health struggles, giving her a distinctive voice and a lasting influence on later singer-songwriters despite limited mainstream recognition.

Working with Andre, she earned two Oscar nominations, and received a third for “Come Saturday Morning”; their song “The Look of Love” was a hit for Dionne Warwick. After the divorce and a period of hospitalisation and electroconvulsive therapy, she released six solo albums from 1970 to 1976. Born Dorothy Veronica Langan, she died aged 86 in 2012.