Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin, born Israel Beilin on May 11, 1888, in Russia, came to America as a child when his family fled persecution. Arriving in New York in 1893, they settled in the Lower East Side, struggling to survive like many immigrant families. After his father's death, young Irving left school at thirteen to help support his family by selling newspapers. Wanting to earn more money, Irving began singing in saloons, drawing on his father's legacy as a cantor. While the saloons were rough, Irving's passion and talent for singing grew, leading him to a job as a singing waiter. It was there that he began to hone his craft and explore songwriting. In 1911, he achieved his first major success with "Alexander's Ragtime Band," a song that quickly became a nationwide hit, capturing the energy of a rapidly changing America. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Irving became one of the most influential figures in American music, contributing to Broadway musicals like Watch Your Step and As Thousands Cheer, and scoring Hollywood hits like Top Hat. His songs blended humor, emotion, and a deep understanding of American life. But of his 1,000-plus songs, Irving's greatest hit came in 1942 when he wrote "White Christmas," a song that became an anthem for soldiers during WWII, resonating with its themes of home and peace. It went on to become the best-selling single of all time. Irving passed away at the age of 101 in 1989.

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