Having settled in New York in 1893, he worked as a street singer, a singing waiter and a song plugger. He achieved international success with his song "Alexander's Ragtime Band" (1911) and contributed to New York revues and operettas. From 1935 he wrote songs for film musicals, his best known being "Top Hat" (1935), "On the Avenue" (1937) and "Annie Get Your Gun" (1946). He has published c. 1500 songs and is one of the most versatile and successful popular songwriters of the 20th century.

THE GROVE CONCISE DICTIONARY OF MUSIC
©Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
All rights reserved. For personal, non-commercial use only.
Copying or other reproduction is prohibited.
[Terms of Use]