Al Sherman
A Tin Pan Alley tunesmith whose catchy hits paved the way for his sons, the legendary Sherman Brothers, to conquer Disney.
1897–1973 (age 76)·American songwriter·Birthday: September 7·The Lost Generation
Biography
Al Sherman was the human jukebox of Tin Pan Alley, a workman songwriter who could conjure a melody for any mood or trend. Born in Kiev and raised on New York's Lower East Side, he plugged songs in the bustling Brill Building, crafting cheerful, unpretentious hits that captured the spirit of the 1920s and '30s. His tunes—like the college anthem 'You Gotta Be a Football Hero' or the sweet 'Now's the Time to Fall in Love'—were built to be whistled and remembered. His most enduring composition, however, was not a song but a partnership. In the family apartment, he mentored his two young sons, Robert and Richard, teaching them the craft of songwriting through playful collaboration and rigorous discipline. By turning his living room into a classroom, Al Sherman orchestrated his greatest hit: the creation of the songwriting team that would later define the sound of childhood for generations.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Al was born in 1897, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Al Was Born
The biggest hits of 1897
Al's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1897Born
President: William McKinley
1902Started school
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Became a teenager
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1913Could drive
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1915Could vote
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Turned 21
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Turned 30
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1937Turned 40
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1947Turned 50
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 60
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 70
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1973Died at 76
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
Key Achievements
- Wrote the popular 1930s college football anthem 'You Gotta Be a Football Hero (To Get Along with the Beautiful Girls).'
- Authored numerous Tin Pan Alley hits, including 'Now's the Time to Fall in Love' and 'Lindbergh (The Eagle of the U.S.A.).'
- Successfully mentored his sons, Robert and Richard Sherman, who became the Oscar-winning songwriters for Disney.
- Had a prolific career spanning decades, writing songs recorded by artists like Al Jolson, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby.
Did You Know?
He immigrated to the United States from the Russian Empire (now Ukraine) as a child.
Sherman often tested new songs by playing them for patrons at the candy store he owned.
He served as a lieutenant in the US Army during World War I.
“A good song makes you forget your troubles for three minutes.”
