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This article on a U.S. composer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Harry Akst (August 15, 1894–March 31, 1963) was an American songwriter who started out his career as a pianist in vaudeville accompanying singers such as Nora Bayes, Frank Fay and Al Jolson.[1]
In 1916, he enlisted in the army and met Irving Berlin (in 1921 they would write "Home Again Blues"). His most notable success came with the song he wrote in 1925 with Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young: "Dinah". It would go on to multiple hit recordings by the likes of Bing Crosby, The Mills Brothers, Louis Armstrong, and Fats Waller.
Akst worked on the Broadway production of Artists and Models (1927), eventually moving to Hollywood to continue songwriting for Broadway musicals. He appeared as the rehearsal pianist "Gerry" in 42nd Street (1933).
Harry Akst was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983.
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