TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS - Free Jazz Leadsheet

“try a little tenderness” was written by composer Harry M. Woods and lyricists Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly in 1932. The song was first published that year and became well known through popular and jazz interpretations.

One of the early significant recordings was by Ted Lewis; later, more soulful renditions—most famously by Otis Redding in 1966—helped sustain its popularity. The lyrics encourage empathy and patience, asking listeners to be gentle with someone who has been hurt. Structurally, the song has a ballad-like form with a lyrical, rising melody that builds into heartfelt emotional peaks, making it well-suited for both expressive vocal performances and jazz instrumental interpretations.