Jerome Kern

Jerome Kern (1885–1945) was an American composer who played a key role in early 20th-century musical theatre. He combined Tin Pan Alley songcraft with more advanced harmonic and melodic ideas, helping move Broadway toward greater integration of songs with dramatic narrative. He wrote scores for stage and film and many songs that entered the popular and jazz repertoires, and he collaborated with lyricists including Oscar Hammerstein II; his musical Show Boat is a notable example of his work.