Hoagy Carmichael got his start in the late ‘20s as a pianist and a composer, smitten with the raucous sound of early jazz. But from the beginning, he had an ear for ballads, writing some of the most beautiful standards of the time. Carmichael's songs seem designed for sweet, clear voices, but interestingly, his own voice was idiosyncratic and playful, often sounding as if he were winking at you while he sang.