Composers/Lady in Red is a pseudonym for someone who is not known. The only thing we know for sure is that the composer was a woman. The first recording of a song called "Lady in Red" was made by Al Jolson with his band on January 23, 1928. It was released by Victor Records as catalog number 26105. All the songs in the collection were produced with outstanding artists such as George Gershwin, Ethel Merman, and John Coltrane. "Lady in Red" became one of Jolson's most popular songs and it has never been out of the charts since its release. The lyrics were written by Buddy Bernier and they describe the life of a famous singer. According to some sources, the song was inspired by Jolson's affair with actress Rita Hayworth. However, this is not confirmed by others. According to music historian Bob Baker, the musician behind the piano in the recording session was Joe Venuto. He was an excellent pianist who played in various bands in New York City during the late 1920s.