Egbert Van Alstyne

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Egbert Anson Van Alstyne (March 4, 1878 - July 9, 1951) was a United States songwriter and pianist. Van Alstyne was the composer of a number of popular and ragtime tunes from the early 20th century.

He was born in Marengo, Illinois. After some time touring in Vaudeville he moved to New York City, initially working as a Tin Pan Alley song-plugger until he was able to make his living as a songwriter. He teamed with lyricist Harry H. Williams. Their first success was "Navajo" which was introduced in the Broadway musical Nancy Brown in 1903 and became one of the first records by Billy Murray early in 1904. Their best remembered song is In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree from 1905.

Other Van Alstyne hits included "Won’t You Come Over to My House?", "I’m Afraid to Come Home in the Dark", and "Memories".

Van Alstyne shares credit with Tony Jackson on the hit Pretty Baby. It was common for Tin Pan Alley publishers to add the name of one of their famous hit makers to tunes, and many have speculated this as being the main reason for Van Alstyne's name appearing on the piece, but Van Alstyne may have had a hand in writing or modifying the verse to Jackson's famous chorus.

He recorded a number of piano rolls.

Egbert Van Alstyne lived for many years in Chicago.

Egbert Van Alstyne was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Evanston, Illinois.

additional info:

Harvey Martin Snell Remembers Egbert Van Alstyne - Students Together At Centenary School: (Van Alstyne wrote "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree")

Egbert Anson Van Alstyne (composer of "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree" and other well-known songs of the World War I era) attended Centenary School and lived in Saverton township, Ralls Co, Mo., south of Hannibal, in his youth. Centenary School is located on the north bank of Fool's Creek approximately a half mile east of Centenary Methodist Church and cemetery. That is approximately 2 miles south of Saverton near Old Fort Mason and Clemens' Station. Egbert "Bert" Anson Van Alstyne - (b. March 6, 1878, Marengo, IL d. July 9, 1951, Chicago, IL Van Alstyne was born on Washington Street on March 6, 1878, to Charles and Emma Rogers Van Alstyne, both descendents of early settlers in the Marengo, IL area. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers states he was born in Chicago on March 5, 1882. His birth record, on file at the McHenry County, IL Courthouse, shows he was born in Marengo, IL in 1878. Egbert was named after his grandfather, a grocery merchant who also served as a minister at the Methodist church. Egbert attended Marengo United Methodist Church.

At age 7, this musical prodigy was already playing the organ in the Marengo, IL., Methodist Sunday School. He attended the Chicago public schools; Centenary School in the community of Centenary, Saverton Township, Ralls Co, Missouri and at Cornell College in Iowa. He also had a scholarship at the Chicago Musical College. Egbert or "Bert" as he was called probably attended Centenary School in Saverton Township sometime between the time after his father's death in 1885 in Rockford, IL and his teenage years. Bert's mother married twice after Charles Van Alstyne's death. Egbert probably attended Centenary Methodist Church at Centenary too due to his family's Methodist background.

Harvey Martin Snell (born July 3rd, 1876 in Centenary died Nov. 12, 1956) son of John Snell and Nancy Sinclair of Centenary, attended Centenary school with Egbert Van Alstyne and were school friends. Harvey told his family about their friendship and school days and later recalled the inspiration for Egbert's song 'In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree'. Apparently, Egbert received his inspiration for the song from an old apple tree that sat somewhere between Centenary School (next to Fool's Creek) and the large hill sitting just to the south of Centenary School. This story was told to Harvey's wife, Elsie May (McGee) Snell d. 1962, and their children including Dora Margaret (Snell) Glascock (living), wife of Samuel Downing Glascock d.1990, both of the community of Centenary area in Saverton Township, Ralls Co, Mo. Finished in 1905 "In The Shade of the Old Apple Tree" was one of the biggest hits of the decade. (Harry H. Williams, lyrics Egbert Van Alstyne, composer). Egbert wrote over 400 songs. Most of his big hits were not brilliant from a musical standpoint, but they always had a "hummable" quality to them. Egbert wrote the music everyman could understand and remember. He was an very average guy: born in the midwest, raised with strong family values, not a genius, behind the times. He loved to hunt and fish and hated jazz. He said so himself in 1922. Most of all, he is largely thought of today (if at all) as being a great ballad writer. He was much more. He wrote piano rags, marches, waltzes, intermezzos, comic songs and fox trots, even operettas. His classical training and musical ability, combined with his unique capacity for variety made him perhaps the most diversified composer of the time. He left us with a litany of serious music which is not only good, but largely unappreciated. "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree" has sold over 26 million copies. Duke Ellington later recorded "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree" in 1933.

IN THE SHADE OF THE OLD APPLE TREE Egbert "Bert" Anson Van Alstyne