Carl T. Fischer was a Native American jazz pianist

Jazz piano

Jazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the instrument's combined melodic and harmonic capabilities...

 and composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

. He worked with Frankie Lane

Frankie Lane

Frankie Lane was an English former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He began his Football League career with Tranmere Rovers, before joining Liverpool, where he spent four years as reserve goalkeeper...

, and composed Laine's 1945 hit song, "We'll Be Together Again

We'll Be Together Again

"We'll Be Together Again" is a 1945 popular song composed by Carl Fischer, with lyrics by Frankie Laine. Fischer was Laine's pianist and musical director when he composed the tune, and Laine was asked to write lyrics for it...

".

Fischer's parents, of Cherokee

Cherokee

The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...

 lineage, overcame poverty to provide him with music lessons. At the age of 32, Fischer joined a touring band and wrote some minor hits, which led to his work as an accompianist for Laine. With Laine's encouragement, Fischer wrote the musical

Musical theatre

Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...

, Tecumseh!, although it was never performed before Fischer's death.