Al Sherman

Al Sherman
Sherman in 1948.
Background information
Birth name	Avrum Sherman
Also known as	Albert Sherman
Born	(1897-09-07)September 7, 1897 Kiev, Russian Empire, now Ukraine
Died	September 16, 1973(1973-09-16) (aged 76) Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Tin Pan Alley
Occupation(s)	Songwriter, composer
Years active	1916-1973
Website	http://www.shermanmusic.com

Al Sherman (September 7, 1897 – September 16, 1973) was a popular American songwriter active during the Tin Pan Alley era in American music history. Some of his most recognizable song titles include: "You Gotta Be A Football Hero," "Now's The Time To Fall In Love" and "Lindbergh (The Eagle of the U.S.A.)." Sherman is one link in a long chain of family members who were musical. Most notably, his sons, Robert and Richard (referred to popularly as the "Sherman Brothers") were to join the ranks of America's most highly regarded songwriters. Pairing up and mentoring the Sherman Brothers team has often been referred to as Al Sherman's greatest songwriting achievement. He is not to be confused with the parodist songwriter, Allan Sherman who, coincidentally, also died in fall of 1973.

Al Sherman was born into a Jewish musical family in Kiev, Ukraine in what was then the Russian Empire. His father, violinist Samuel Sherman, fled a Cossack pogrom in 1903. Samuel settled in Prague which was at that time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Samuel eventually found success working as a concertmaster, first violinist and intermittent court composer in the Royal Court of Emperor Franz Josef. Within a year or so of his arrival, Samuel's family came to live with him in Prague.

As a young boy, Al attended concerts in the royal court. Conspicuously he hid in the gallery wings while his father performed for the Bohemian Emperor. Sherman would later remark that it was these moments which originally incited his interest in music. In 1909 the Samuel Shermans relocated to New York City. In 1911, frustrated with the lack of work available, Samuel left his wife Lena and their five young children, Olga, Al, Edith, Regina and Harold. Harold had only just been born. At the age of 13, Sherman became the chief breadwinner of the family, quitting school in order to find work. By 16 Sherman had taught himself to play the piano and was able to find work playing in bands. Despite his parents' separation and the position it put him in, Sherman maintained a great respect for Samuel and kept in close contact with him until Samuel's death in 1947.