Irving Berlin Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Irving Berlin was born on May 11, 1888, in Tyumen, Russian Empire (in present-day Russia) and he was American composer and lyricist.

His family fled religious persecution and immigrated to the United States in 1893, settling on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. Berlin rose from poverty to become one of the most influential American composers and lyricists of the 20th century. Berlin had no formal musical training and was self-taught. He began working as a singing waiter and published his first song, “Marie from Sunny Italy,” in 1907. In 1911, he wrote “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” which became an international hit and is credited with helping to usher ragtime into mainstream American music. Berlin wrote over 1,500 songs, 20 Broadway scores, and 15 film scores.

Among his most notable works are “White Christmas” (1942), which remains one of the best-selling singles of all time, and “God Bless America,” originally written during World War I and revised in 1938. The latter became an unofficial national anthem and is closely associated with American patriotism. Other significant songs include “Blue Skies,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” “Easter Parade,” and “There’s No Business Like Show Business.”

Berlin served in the U.S. Army during World War I and wrote the all-soldier revue Yip Yip Yaphank (1918). During World War II, he wrote This Is the Army (1942), which raised millions for the Army Emergency Relief Fund. He performed in the show himself, singing “Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning.” In 1946, he composed the score for Annie Get Your Gun, which became a long-running Broadway success. Berlin was one of the few Tin Pan Alley composers who wrote both music and lyrics.

Berlin was honored with numerous awards during his lifetime, including the Congressional Gold Medal (1955), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977), and a special Tony Award (1963). He was also a founding member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers).