Irving Berlin, a musical titan who shaped the Great American Songbook, was born Israel Beilin on May 11, 1888, in Mogilyov, Russian Empire (present-day Belarus). Arriving in New York City with his family at age five, Berlin’s formal education was brief, but his musical talent blossomed. He began writing songs as a teenager, and a fortuitous misspelling on his first published song in 1907, “Marie from Sunny Italy,” christened him Irving Berlin, a name he adopted ever since. From ragtime to Broadway show tunes, Berlin’s prolific songwriting career spanned over seven decades. Hits like “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” (1911) and “White Christmas” (1940) cemented his cultural influence. He lived to a remarkable age, passing away on September 22, 1989, in New York City, leaving behind a legacy of timeless music.
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