A SONGWRITER'S BIG DAY TO REMEMBER

We begin the day by learning that the Titanic had an actual reason that she went down besides ramming randomly into a giant iceberg back in 1912, The last known relatives grand daughter has now revealed that this same officer actually confessed to this same granddaughter that it was he who steered "The Unsinkable" in the wrong direction. The ice berg is finally off the hook, dear readers which goes to prove: it's not the obstacles in your life that matter, it's how you steer your boat of life away from them-- even if you are "an unsinkable virgin ship on your maiden voyage" Virginity has nothing to do with it! And speaking of mighty ships, may we honor three composers who had their lives change on this day in history: one successfully and one fatally. It was on this day in 1925 that Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II teamed up together for the first time for a new musical called Sunny, which opened tonight at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Marilyn Miller starred as the circus performer who stows away on an ocean liner to follow her lover back to America. The remainder of the all-star cast included the first Broadway performances of Clifton Webb, Jack Donahue, and Cliff Edwards. They all help the show run for over 507 performances. Kern and Hammerstein would follow up with the mega hit Show Boat. On this night In 1964 was the opening of the musical Fiddler on the Roof at the Imperial Theatre. Sholom Aleichem's milkman whose glass is half-full, Tevye, is played by Zero Mostel. Mostel would become a star after this run, even though he was not the first choice for the role. Beatrice Arthur ("Maude") and Maria Karnilova co-star in this Bock & Harnick musical with such memorable songs as "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" and "Sunrise, Sunset." And today on this date the songwriting world lost the genius of Irving Berlin in 1989. Irving was a 101 at the time of his death and wrote over seventeen hundred songs. Berlin's second very famous piano: the one he composed "I Love A Piano " on was recently moved from the ASCAP headquarters for a Jewish Heritage Museum's new exhibit. This November 5th will be the sixty-fifth anniversary of Jerome Kern's death who died from a stroke he had walking the streets of New York looking for a drug store to fill his medication needs but without any other identification other than his ASCAP membership card. He was sent to an indigent ward because no one knew who he was. Only his ASCAP card saved him. When the hospital authorities found that card they were able to send him to Doctor's Hospital in New York City where he died with Oscar Hammerstein at his bed side singing the melody and the words to "I Told Ev'ry Little Star" It was Kern's very favorite song of all and when dear Jerome Kern did not respond, Oscar hammersdtein, his closest friend at the time knew that Jerome Kern had passed on to the great eternity. And so for all of you ASCAP members-- always carry your membership card--even if nothing else-- it might just save your life some day. DEar Irving Berlin, thank you for the wonderful songs. Jerome Kern thank you for the amazing other songs I love and to Mr. Bock and Harnick-- on this day's night, you had your amazing moment in Broadway history on this night-- never quite equalled ever again.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous. The song sparked an international dance craze in places as far away as Russia, which also "flung itself into the ragtime beat with an abandon bordering on mania." Over the years he was known for writing music and lyrics in the American vernacular: uncomplicated, simple and direct, with his aim being to "reach the heart of the average American" whom he saw as the "real soul of the country."
He wrote hundreds of songs, many becoming major hits, which made him "a legend" before he turned thirty. During his 60-year career he wrote an estimated 1,500 songs, including the scores for 19 Broadway shows and 18 Hollywood films, with his songs nominated eight times for Academy Awards. Many songs became popular themes and anthems, including "Easter Parade", "White Christmas", "Happy Holiday", "This is the Army, Mr. Jones", and "There's No Business Like Show Business". His Broadway musical and 1942 film, This is the Army, with Ronald Reagan, had Kate Smith singing Berlin's "God Bless America" which was first performed in 1938. After the September 11 attacks in 2001, Celine Dion recorded it as a tribute, making it #1 on the charts.