Role

:

Composer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

August 15, 1894 in New York City, NY

Death

:

March 31, 1963 in Los Angeles, CA

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Harry Akst was an American composer and songwriter who was born on August 15, 1894, in New York City. He was the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants and grew up in a musical family. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist. Akst began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. Akst attended the City College of New York, where he studied music theory and composition. After graduating, he began working as a pianist and arranger for various vaudeville acts and musical revues. In 1919, he moved to Hollywood to work in the film industry, where he quickly became a sought-after composer and songwriter. One of Akst's early successes was the song "Dinah," which he co-wrote with Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. The song was first recorded by Ethel Waters in 1925 and became a hit, selling over two million copies. It has since become a jazz standard and has been recorded by countless artists, including Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and Ella Fitzgerald. Akst went on to write many other popular songs, including "Am I Blue?" (1929), "Body and Soul" (1930), and "Lovable and Sweet" (1931). He also composed music for several films, including "The Cocoanuts" (1929), "Animal Crackers" (1930), and "The Big Broadcast" (1932). In addition to his work as a composer and songwriter, Akst was also a talented pianist. He often performed his own compositions and arrangements in nightclubs and on radio broadcasts. He was known for his smooth, sophisticated style and his ability to improvise on the piano. Akst continued to work in the music industry throughout the 1930s and 1940s, but his output slowed down in the 1950s. He died on March 31, 1963, in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 68. Despite his relatively short career, Harry Akst left a lasting mark on the world of music. His songs have been recorded by some of the greatest singers of all time, and his contributions to the film industry helped to shape the sound of Hollywood in its early years. Today, he is remembered as one of the most talented and influential composers of the early 20th century.

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