Abner Silver

Songwriter, Composer

1899 – 1966

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Who was Abner Silver?

Abner Silver was an American songwriter who worked primarily during the Tin Pan Alley era of the craft. He was born on December 28, 1899, in New York.

Usually composing the music while others handled the lyrics, Silver wrote for half a century, starting with World War I–era songs such as 1918's "You Can't Blame the Girlies," and continuing through the decades with such classics as 1921's "I'm Going South", 1925's "Chasing Shadows" and 1940's "How Did He Look?" Silver frequently teamed with lyricists Benny Davis, Al Sherman and Al Lewis. Between 1931 and 1934, during the last days of Vaudeville, Silver and several of his fellow hitmakers formed a sensational revue called "Songwriters on Parade", performing all across the Eastern seaboard on the Loew's and Keith circuits.

Silver's songs were covered by virtually every major vocalist of the day, among them Al Jolson, Ruth Etting, Eddie Cantor, Rudy Vallee, Helen Kane, Kate Smith, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé, Eddie Fischer, Peggy Lee and Julie London. In a later era his songs were sung by Elvis Presley, Frankie Lymon, Etta Jones, Johnny Mathis, Brenda Lee and Shirley Bassey. Numerous performers covered what became a country standard, "My Window Is Facing South," including Willie Nelson, Vassar Clements, Commander Cody and Lyle Lovett. Among band leaders who performed tunes composed by Silver were Django Rheinhardt, Louis Prima, Lionel Hampton and Les McCann.

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Born
Dec 28, 1899
New York City
Nationality
  • United States of America
Profession
Died
Nov 24, 1966
New York City

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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"Abner Silver." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/abner_silver>.

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