Irving Berlin

WW1-Sergeant

LES, 1910

Irving Berlin 1906

Irving Berlin (1907 portrait, NPG.93.388.3)

File:Alexander's Ragtime Band - Billy Murray.ogg

Irving Berlin - Ragtime

Irving Berlin (May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was an American composer and lyricist, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history. His music forms a great part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russia, Berlin arrived in the United States at the age of five. He published his first song, "Marie from Sunny Italy," in 1907, receiving 33 cents for the publishing rights. His first major hit, "Alexander's Ragtime Band" in 1911, sparked an international dance craze in places as far away as Berlin's native Russia, which also catapulted him to fame.

Early Life[edit | edit source]

Irving Berlin was born Israel Beilin on May 11, 1888, in Tyumen, Russian Empire (now in Russia). His family fled to avoid the Jewish pogroms and settled in New York City in 1893. Berlin's father, a cantor in a synagogue, died when he was young, forcing Berlin to leave school at the age of 13 and work as a street singer, among other jobs, to help support his family.

Career[edit | edit source]

Berlin's career spanned six decades during which he wrote an estimated 1,500 songs, including the scores for 20 original Broadway shows and 15 original Hollywood films. His music has been featured in over a thousand films. Notable among his classic songs are "God Bless America," "White Christmas," "Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)," and "There's No Business Like Show Business." His songs were recorded by a wide array of singers, from Al Jolson to Frank Sinatra to Ella Fitzgerald.

Berlin's ability to craft songs that appealed to the broad American public made him a household name. He was able to write in a wide range of styles, from ballads to patriotic anthems, to jazz and ragtime.

Personal Life and Death[edit | edit source]

Berlin married Dorothy Goetz in 1912, who died of typhoid fever five months later. He remarried in 1926 to Ellin Mackay, with whom he had three daughters. Berlin's dedication to his Jewish heritage and America was reflected in his songs, many of which carried patriotic themes.

Irving Berlin died in New York City on September 22, 1989, at the age of 101. He left behind a legacy that has had a lasting impact on American culture and the world of music.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Berlin's influence on American music is immeasurable. He received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His songs continue to be celebrated and performed around the world.