Peter DeRose, born on March 10, 1896, in New York City, was a prominent American composer known for his contributions to jazz and pop music during the Tin Pan Alley era. Displaying musical talent from a young age, DeRose learned to play the piano from his older sister. He graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in 1917 and began his career in the music industry as a stock room clerk at a music store. His first published song, "Tiger Rose Waltzes," was released when he was just 18.

DeRose's early success with the composition "When You're Gone, I Won't Forget" led to a position at the New York office of the Italian music publisher G. Ricordi & Co. In 1923, he met May Singhi Breen, a ukulele musician, and they formed a personal and professional partnership. The couple performed together on the NBC radio show "The Sweethearts of the Air," which ran for 16 years. They married in 1929.

Throughout his career, DeRose collaborated with numerous lyricists, including Charles Tobias, Al Stillman, Carl Sigman, and Billy Hill. His compositions were recorded by renowned artists such as John Coltrane, Spike Jones, Art Tatum, Les McCann, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Sarah Vaughan, and Peggy Lee. Among his notable works are songs for Broadway musicals like "Yes Yes Yvette," "Earl Carroll's Vanities of 1928," and "Ziegfeld Follies of 1934," as well as the famous piece "Deep Purple," which became a hit in multiple versions over the years.

DeRose's prolific output included hits like "Somebody Loves You," "Wagon Wheels," "Have You Ever Been Lonely?," and "A Marshmallow World." He also composed music for Hollywood films and the 1941 Ice Capades show. His last hit, "You Can Do It," was written shortly before his death in New York City on April 23, 1953. In recognition of his significant contributions to music, Peter DeRose was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.