Milton Ager
Encyclopedia
Milton Ager was an American
composer
.
Ager was born in Chicago
, Illinois
, the sixth of nine children. Leaving school with only three years of formal high-school education, he taught himself to play the piano
and embarked on a career as a musician. After spending time as an accompanist to silent movies, he moved to New York
to write music. During World War I
he served as a morale
officer.
Ager also was a music publisher in partnership with his frequent musical collaborator, lyricist Jack Yellen
. He moved to Hollywood where he made a living writing songs for film. On his death, Milton Ager was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
in Los Angeles
.
Ager was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
in 1979.
In 2007, a revue of Ager's music called Vampin' Lady opened in New Hope
, Pennsylvania, performed by singer Joyce Moody under the direction of Earl Wentz
and transferred to New York City
as part of the American Composer Series
.
Works for Broadway include:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
.
Ager was born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, the sixth of nine children. Leaving school with only three years of formal high-school education, he taught himself to play the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and embarked on a career as a musician. After spending time as an accompanist to silent movies, he moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to write music. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he served as a morale
Morale
Morale, also known as esprit de corps when discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used to describe the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others...
officer.
Ager also was a music publisher in partnership with his frequent musical collaborator, lyricist Jack Yellen
Jack Yellen
Jack Selig Yellen was an American lyricist and screenwriter.-Life and career:Born in Poland, Yellen emigrated with his family to the United States when he was five years old. The oldest of seven children, he was raised in Buffalo, New York and began writing songs in high school...
. He moved to Hollywood where he made a living writing songs for film. On his death, Milton Ager was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
The Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery is a cemetery in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles, California. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood....
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Ager was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
in 1979.
In 2007, a revue of Ager's music called Vampin' Lady opened in New Hope
New Hope
-Places:United States*New Hope, Alabama*New Hope, Florida*New Hope, Georgia*New Hope, Illinois*New Hope, Kentucky*New Hope, Minnesota*New Hope, Mississippi*New Hope, North Carolina*New Hope, Ohio*New Hope, Pennsylvania*New Hope, Tennessee...
, Pennsylvania, performed by singer Joyce Moody under the direction of Earl Wentz
Earl Wentz
Earl Wentz was an American pianist, composer, and musical director most noted for his creation in 2000 of the American Composer Series, an ongoing performance series in the cabaret format.-Early years:...
and transferred to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as part of the American Composer Series
American Composer Series
The American Composer Series is an ongoing performance series in the cabaret revue format, paying tribute to the greatest composers of popular American music on the American scene, particularly those composers associated with Tin Pan Alley...
.
Family
- Ager's wife was columnist Cecelia Ager.
- Ager was the father of columnistColumnistA columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
Shana AlexanderShana AlexanderShana Alexander was an American journalist, born Shana Ager in New York City on October 6, 1925. Although she became the first woman staff writer and columnist for Life magazine, she was best known for her participation in the "Point-Counterpoint" debate segments of 60 Minutes with conservative...
. - Ager's niece, Joy Eden HarrisonJoy Eden HarrisonJoy Eden Harrison is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She has released three critically acclaimed CDs, the late 1990s Angel Town, the 2002 Unspoken, and most recently, 2006's Blue Venus...
, a singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
with three albums to her credit, claims his work has been influential on her own musical career.
Songs
Among the best known Milton Ager songs are:- "Rockaway Hunt Fox Trot" (1915)
- "Erin Is Calling" (1916)
- "Tom, Dick and Harry and Jack" (1917)
- "Everything is Peaches Down in Georgia" (1918), With George W. MeyerGeorge W. MeyerGeorge W. Meyer aka Geo. W. Meyer was an American Tin Pan Alley songwriter....
- "France We Have Not Forgotten You" (1918)
- "Anything is Nice" (1919)
- "Freckles" (1919)
- "There's a Lot of Blue-Eyed Marys Down in Maryland" (1919)
- "A Young Man's Fancy" (1920)
- "I'm Nobody's Baby" (1920), his first big hit
- "Lovin' Sam" (1920)
- "Who Cares?" (1920)
- "Stay Away From Louisville Lou" (1923) [also known as "Louisville Lou (That Vampin' Lady)Louisville Lou (That Vampin' Lady)Louisville Lou is the title of a popular song by American composer Milton Ager with lyrics by Jack Yellen. Written in 1923, it is an example of the Tin Pan Alley "vamp" style of music....
" ] - "Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp Of Savannah)Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah)"Hard Hearted Hannah " is a popular song from Tin Pan Alley.The music was written by Milton Ager, the lyrics by Jack Yellen, Bob Bigelow, and Charles Bates...
" (1924) - "I Wonder What's Become of Sally" (1924)
- "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)"Big Bad Bill " is a song with music by Milton Ager and lyrics by Jack Yellen, written in 1924. The song became a vocal hit for Margaret Young accompanied by Rube Bloom, and an instrumental hit for the Don Clark Orchestra...
" (1924) - "I Certainly Could" (1926)
- "Hard-To-Get Gertie" (1926)
- "Ain't She SweetAin't She SweetAin't She Sweet was an American album featuring four tracks recorded in Hamburg in 1961 by The Beatles featuring Tony Sheridan and cover versions of Beatles and British Invasion-era songs recorded by the Swallows...
" (1927) - "Vo-Do-De-O" (1927)
- "I Still Love You" (1928)
- "If You Don't Love Me" (1928)
- "Oh Baby" (1928)
- "Glad Rag DollGlad Rag DollGlad Rag Doll is a 1928 song composed by Milton Ager with lyrics by Jack Yellen and Dan Dougherty. It was Ager and Yellen’s first movie theme song, written for the motion picture of the same name starring Dolores Costello....
" (1928) - "Happy Days Are Here AgainHappy Days Are Here Again"Happy Days Are Here Again" is a song copyrighted in 1929 by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen and published by EMI Robbins Catalog, Inc./Advanced Music Corp...
" (1929) - "I May Be Wrong" (1929)
- "Some Day We'll Meet Again" (1932)
Works for Broadway include:
- What's in a Name? (1920) - musical - composerComposerA 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...
- Rain or Shine (1928) - musical - co-composerComposerA 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...
- Murray AndersonMurray AndersonMurray Craig Anderson is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman.Anderson was drafted in 1969 by the Montreal Canadiens, but spent all his time in the minors. He was claimed by the Washington Capitals during the 1974 NHL Expansion Draft...
's Almanac (1929) - revueRevueA revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
- co-composerComposerA 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...