Arthur W. French

Arthur Wells French (1846–1916) was a journalist from Connecticut who was also a successful songwriter of sentimental songs in the 1870s and 1880s.

[1] He was inclined to write, especially songs and poetry, "and this natural bent early led him into a newspaper career.

"[1] His most successful work may have been "Little Sweetheart" sung by minstrel tenor Dave Wambold, which sold "several hundred thousand...copies" of sheet music.

[2] In 1911, French estimated that he had written several hundred sheet music songs, and a similar number "for secular and sacred songbooks.

French wrote lyrics for: Charlie Baker, Charles Dupree Blake (1847–1903), William H. Brockway, Robert Challoner, Devin Christie, Virginia Gabriel, William A. Huntley, Herbert Leslie, E. S. Paul, George W. Persely, C. M. Pyke, Charlie Rea, Henry Tucker, Horatio Williams Some of French's songs were recorded in the early 20th century: