This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (October 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Fred Ahlert
Born
Frederick Emil Ahlert

(1892-09-19)September 19, 1892
New York City, New York, United States
DiedOctober 20, 1953(1953-10-20) (aged 61)
New York City, New York
Occupation(s)Composer, lyricist, songwriter

Frederick Emil Ahlert (September 19, 1892 – October 20, 1953) was an American composer and songwriter.[1]

Early life

He received a degree from Fordham Law School, but instead of pursuing a legal career he began work as an arranger, initially for Irving Aaronson and his Commanders and then for composer and band-leader Fred Waring. Ahlert had his first hit song in 1920, and eventually started his own publishing company in 1928.

Career

His songs have been recorded by numerous artists, including Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, Frank Sinatra, Moon Mullican, Dean Martin, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Fats Waller. Ahlert most frequently collaborated with lyricist Roy Turk, but he also wrote with others including Joe Young and Edgar Leslie.[1]

Ahlert was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.[2]

Ahlert was born in, and died in, New York City, where he lived all his life.[1]

Selected works

Among his compositions (with Roy Turk unless otherwise noted):

Family

Fred Ahlert and his wife, Mildred ("Millie") (c. 1894 Russia[3] – 1955 New York City),[4] had three sons:

  1. Frederick Emil Ahlert, Jr. (16 February 1926, New York City; – 8 September 2005, San Francisco) was one of the last independent music publishers. He worked for the Leo Feist Agency until he started Fred Ahlert Music Group after the death of his father in 1953. In addition to his father's catalog, among the songwriters Fred Jr. represented were Ted Koehler, Irving Kahal, Walter Donaldson, Mort Dixon, Joe Burke, Edgar Leslie, John Jacob Loeb, Harold Stanley, Burt Bacharach and Hal David.[5] Fred Jr. had a son, Fred Emil Ahlert III (17 May 1958 – 21 April 2008).
  2. Arnold Ahlert
  3. Richard Ahlert (4 September 1921 – 9 August 1985 Scarsdale, New York) graduated from Juilliard when he was 17. He was a clarinetist and songwriter who composed over 1,000 songs, including the Broadway musical, Adam, for which his wife, June Tansey, wrote the book. He was a member of ASCAP and his songs included My Days of Loving You, recorded by Perry Como, and Running Out of Fools, recorded by Aretha Franklin.[6]

Fred Ahlert had a brief prior marriage to Minnie Campbell. They were married October 17, 1912, in Manhattan, New York.

References

General references

Inline citations

  1. ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 24/5. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
  2. ^ "Fred Ahlert Biography". Jazzbiographies.com. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  3. ^ 1920 United States Federal Census: Manhattan Assembly District 21, New York, New York
  4. ^ Deaths: Ahlert, Mildred, The New York Times, August 1, 1955
  5. ^ Obituary: Ahlert, Fred E., Jr.[permanent dead link], San Francisco Chronicle, September 15, 2005
  6. ^ Richard Ahlert Is Dead at 63; Song Writer and Composer, The New York Times, Aug. 12, 1985

External links

Authority control databases
Categories