Biography

Songwriter ("Day O", "Jamaica Farewell"), composer, author and singer, educated at Juillard and the University of Arizona. He was a singer in night clubs and on radio and television, and wrote songs for Harry Belafonte and The Kingston Trio. He also wrote the off-Broadway stage score for "Ballad for Bimshire". Joining ASCAP in 1956, his song compositions include "Island in the Sun", "I Do Adore Her", "The Wanderer", "Dolly Dawn", "Land of the Sea and Sun", "El Matador", "The Seine", "Silver Earring", "Yesterday Was Such a Lovely Day", "Come Back Lisa", and "Angelina".
- IMDb mini biography by: Hup234!

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.

He served in an all-black US Army battalion in WWII.

His mother grew up on a sugar plantation in Barbados.

He wrote eight of the 11 songs on Harry Belafonte's 1956 album Calypso, the first album in the US to sell more than a million copies.

Has two son Irving, Jr. and Andrew, one grandson, and one-great-grandson.