Harry Akst

Biography

One of the most recorded songwriters of the 1920's and 30's was born into a musical family (his father was a violinist with the Metropolitan Opera). Harry learned to play piano at the age of five and was already a fully-fledged professional while in his second year of high school. He worked in vaudeville for four years, accompanying the popular singer Nora Bayes. During military service at Camp Upton in 1916, he befriended Irving Berlin and soon became staff pianist for his publishing company. During this period, he also composed his first song and collaborated with Berlin on the hit "Home Again Blues" in 1921. The following year Akst joined ASCAP. He began conducting and composing for Broadway shows and later settled in Hollywood, writing songs, lyrics and stock music for Fox and Warner Brothers. He also appeared in a few films. Among the many standards to flow from Akst's pen, were "Dinah" (written in 1925 in collaboration with lyricists Sam Lewis and Joe Young), "Baby Face" (1926, with Benny Davis), "Am I Blue?" (1929, with Grant Clarke) and "Travelin' Light" (1937). In 1943, Akst went on tour, joining Al Jolson as part of U.S.O., entertaining troops at bases overseas. Henceforth, he worked steadily as accompanist and 'song selector' for Jolson, as well as co-writing the title song for the hit comedy The Egg and I (1947)). Akst died on March 31 1963 in Hollywood at the age of 69.