Sheldon Harnick Sheldon Harnick is an American lyricist best known for his collaborations with composer Jerry Bock on hit musicals such as "Fiddler on the Roof" (1964) and "Fiorello!"(1959). He began his career in the 1950s working in New York writing for musicals and revues. In around 1956, Harnick met composer Jerry Bock, forming one of the most important musical partnership of the 1960s. Harnick won a Tony Award in 1965 for the musical "Fiddler on the Roof" which won Best Musical and Best Composer and Lyricist.