Mitch Kahn Celebrates: Irving Berlin Widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history, Irving Berlin’s music forms a great part of the Great American Songbook. He published his first song, “Marie from Sunny Italy” in 1907 and had his first major international hit, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” in 1911. During his 60-year career, Berlin wrote an estimated 1500 songs, including the scores for 19 Broadway shows and 18 Hollywood films, with 8 nominations for the Academy Award, which he won in 1942 for the song “White Christmas”. Berlin’s songs have reached the top of the charts 25 times and have been extensively re-recorded by major artists including Fred Astaire, Ethel Merman, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, Sarah Vaughn, Nat King Cole, Doris Day and Ella Fitzgerald.

From Irving Berlin and the Gershwins to Harry Warren, Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer and Jimmy Van Heusen, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Marvin Hamlisch and Henry Mancini, Mitch Kahn explores and celebrates the legacy of America’s Great Songwriters.