I missed wishing Ira Gershwin a happy birthday Sunday. But I guess that’s appropriate, because when I heard about it on yesterday’s installment of The Writers Almanac, what first came to mind wasn’t his birthday, but rather his death day.

Back when I still lived in New York, I was always alert for the death of a songwriter, because I knew that whenever a composer died, ASCAP—the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers—would rent out a Broadway theater and host a memorial, a celebratory concert that was free and open to the public.

Ira Gershwin’s was just one of the many I attended. Here’s the program that ASCAP handed out at the event:

And here’s how I wrote about that day in my journal on August 25, 1985:

I read the Times yesterday, after a week of not doing so. Serendipity, I say! For on the obituary page was a small note about a tribute, open to the public today, that was to be held in honor of Ira Gershwin, who died last week. …

I knew there’d be plenty of space, for the tribute was held in the Uris Theater, renamed the Gershwin last month, which I believe is the largest theater in New York except for the Metropolitan Opera House. I left the office at a quarter to eleven, and when I arrived at the theater at about ten after, there were already around a thousand people there. We were not let in until a few minutes after twelve, at which time the line went literally around the block. I don’t know that everyone got in. The orchestra was packed, but I managed to get a seat in the fifteenth row or so on the right side of the orchestra, and the show was magnificent!

Margaret Whiting sang, teary-eyed, “Someone to Watch Over Me,” Cab Calloway (my favorite, and really my impetus for attending) sang “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” Tony Bennett sang “Ho Ho Ho, Who’s Got the Last Laugh Now?”, Ginger Rogers sang “Embraceable You” and “They’re Writing Songs of Love But Not for Me,” Betty Comden and Adolph Green sang “Of Thee I Sing, Baby,” Tommy Tune and Twiggy sang “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” and then the whole cast of “My One and Only” came onstage and joined everyone else to sing “Our Love is Here to Stay.” A clip of Judy Garland singing “The Man Who Got Away” from A Star is Born was also shown. Telegrams from Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Irving Berlin were read. Burton Lane, Harold Arlen, and Arthur Schwartz, who I cannot keep apart in my memory, as I’ve never seen them before, reminisced. I came out of the theater in a daze at about 1:30. It was a beautiful afternoon …

I’ll keep the rest of that day to myself.

I haven’t lived in NY since 1985, but I assume ASCAP still throws such events. So next time a songwriter dies, don’t be sad—just think about the wonderful concert ahead!

So happy birth—er, death—er whatever day, Ira!