Alex Kramer

Born in Montreal, Quebec in 1903, Kramer began his career at 17 years of age, working as a pianist for a silent movie theatre in his native city. He studied at McGill Conservatory of Music and later joined Meyer Davis and his Orchestra for one season in Florida, before returning to Montreal to lead his own orchestra on radio shows for CFCF and CKAC.

Kramer travelled to Paris and Cannes before moving to New York in 1938, where he continued his work as a bandleader on radio shows and as an accompanist in vaudeville and nightclubs throughout the city. He also worked as a vocal coach, training aspiring young talents. One of his students was a Broadway performer named Joan Whitney, who later became his wife and songwriting partner. As Kramer continued performing, the couple began to write an extensive body of songs that would evoke passionate performances from notable singers and consistently dazzle audiences. Their total body of work is believed to be over 180 songs.

High on a Windy Hill was the pair’s first #1 hit as performed by the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra in 1941. Collaborations with Hy Zaret (It All Comes Back to Me Now, My Sister and I) and Mack David (Candy) were also immediate chart-toppers.

Other popular songs include It’s Love Love Love, Comme-ci, Comme-ca, That’s the Beginning of the End, Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens, Money Is the Root of All Evil, Love Somebody, Dangerous Dan McGrew, You’ll Never Get Away, Far Away Places, Summer Rain, I Only Saw Him Once, Story of My Life, So You’re the One and No Other Arms, No Other Lips.