Alex Kramer (songwriter)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alex J. Kramer (May 30, 1903-February 10, 1998) was an American songwriter. (Note that he is sometimes referred to as Alex C. Kramer.)

He was born in Montreal, Canada. His parents were Adolph and Freda Kramer. At age 17 he was hired as a pianist in a silent movie theater in Montreal. He traveled first to Palm Beach, Florida, joining the Meyer Davis orchestra, and then to Paris and Cannes, before returning to New York City, where he became a radio bandleader. He also worked as an accompanist in nightclubs and in vaudeville.

One of his other musical activities was coaching vocalists in singing techniques, and one of his students was Joan Whitney, who eventually became both his wife and his songwriting partner. Their first hit as a songwriting team was "High on a Windy Hill," which became a #1 hit in 1941 for the Jimmy Dorsey orchestra.

In 1948 he and his wife started a publishing firm, just in time for the end of the big band era, which led to a collapse in the song publishing business. He eventually became associated with the Bourne Music Publishing Company. He also continued to lead an orchestra, conduct on the radio, and serve as an accompanist in night clubs and what remained of the vaudeville business.

In 1973 he moved to Westport, Connecticut, where he died a few months short of his 95^th birthday.