From the Los Angeles Times:
Hugh Martin Jr., a composer, lyricist and arranger who created the enduring standards “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “The Trolley Song” sung by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical “Meet Me in St. Louis,” has died. He was 96.
Martin, who collaborated in an unusual partnership with Ralph Blane on Broadway and in film, died of natural causes Friday at home in Encinitas, north of San Diego, said his niece Suzanne Hanners.
The two men shared songwriting credits for “Meet Me in St. Louis,” which is set at the turn of the 20th century and follows a Midwestern family on the verge of moving to New York City. Garland lit up the screen with her renditions of “The Boy Next Door,” “The Trolley Song” (which was nominated for an Academy Award for best original song) and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”
• Hugh Martin: http://www.hughmartin.com
