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Composer

 

Henry Creamer and Turner Layton were two of the most prominent African American composers of the early 20th century. They were born in the United States in the late 19th century and went on to become successful songwriters and performers in the early 1900s. Henry Creamer was born on June 21, 1879, in Richmond, Virginia. He grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano at a young age. He attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he studied music and played in the school's band. After graduating, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. Turner Layton was born on July 2, 1894, in Washington, D.C. He also came from a musical family and began playing the piano at a young age. He attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he studied music and played in the school's band. After graduating, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. Creamer and Layton met in New York City in the early 1900s and began collaborating on songs. They wrote their first hit song, "My Gal Sal," in 1905. The song was a huge success and was later featured in the 1942 film of the same name. Over the next few years, Creamer and Layton continued to write hit songs, including "After You've Gone," "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," and "Dear Old Southland." Their songs were popular with both black and white audiences and were performed by some of the biggest names in music at the time, including Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and Ella Fitzgerald. Creamer and Layton also performed together as a duo, with Creamer on vocals and Layton on piano. They toured the United States and Europe, performing in vaudeville shows and nightclubs. They were known for their lively performances and their ability to connect with audiences. In addition to their popular songs, Creamer and Layton also wrote music for Broadway shows. Their most successful Broadway show was "Blackbirds of 1928," which featured an all-black cast and was a huge success. The show ran for over 500 performances and featured songs written by Creamer and Layton, including "Diga Diga Doo" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." Creamer and Layton continued to write and perform together throughout the 1920s and 1930s. However, their partnership was strained by personal and professional differences, and they eventually went their separate ways. Henry Creamer died on October 14, 1930, at the age of 51. Turner Layton continued to write and perform music throughout the 1930s and 1940s. He moved to England in the 1950s and became a popular performer there. He died on February 6, 1978, at the age of 83. Today, Creamer and Layton are remembered as two of the most important composers of early 20th-century popular music. Their songs continue to be performed and recorded by musicians around the world, and their legacy lives on in the music they created.

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