Larry Adler began playing the harmonica, or ‘mouth organ’ as he commonly referred to the instrument, in his early teens. He won a local talent competition sponsored by the Baltimore Sun. He went on to become one of the world’s foremost concert harmonicists, performing pop, classical, and jazz music with many of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century.
After an abbreviated enrollment at the Peabody Conservatory, Adler traveled to New York at the age of fourteen and subsequently landed jobs with Rudee Valee, many movie houses, Broadway shows, the Ziegfeld Follies, and went on work as a soloist for major symphony orchestras. He performed songs written by his friend George Gershwin including the concert favorite “Rhapsody in Blue.” Throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s Adler performed with tap dancer Paul Draper. In 1953 he composed the music for the classic British comedy film “Genevieve.”
Adler traveled back and forth to England where he finally remained due to McCarthy era accusations of his political leanings. Eventually Adler was allowed to visit the states where he reunited with Draper for a performance at Carnegie Hall in 1959, and in 1985 he finally received an honorary degree from Peabody.
Adler was a guest artist on Sting’s 1993 album “Ten Summoner’s Tales.” In 1994 Sting and a host of rock artists including Elvis Costello, Elton John, Kate Bush, Meatloaf, and others accompanied him with his Gershwin tribute “The Glory of Gershwin.”
Adler passed away on August 7, 2001 of pneumonia. He was 87.
Shown: Larry Adler LP – Audio Fidelity Records
