Harry von Tilzer

Harry von Tilzer (b. Harry Gumm in Detroit, Michigan, July 8, 1872 – d. New York, January 10, 1946) – Songwriter and publisher. Like his brother Albert, he used his mother’s last name (“Tilzer”) and added the “von” as was done by performers and songwriters. Although he was born in Detroit, his family moved to Indianapolis shortly after he was born, and his father ran various family businesses. At 14, he left his family to join the Cole Brothers Circus in Chicago and eventually started started singing and playing piano in vaudeville shows. He continued performing in New York City, his new home in 1892. His first major songwriting success came in 1898 with "My Old New Hampshire Home," of which 2 million copies were sold. He then focused on songwriting and publishing and started running his own music firm in 1902. Considered the founding father of Tin Pan Alley, Harry published 2,000 songs, including the classics as “In the Sweet Bye and Bye ” (1902), “A Bird in a Gilded Cage” (1900), and “Wait ‘til the Sun Shines Nellie” (1905). By the end of WW I, he was writing very little, but his firm was still flourishing, as he the most successful Von Tilzer in the publishing business. In fact, he was hired a young Irving Berlin to plug his company's songs at Tony Pastor's Music Hall.