Happy Birthday, Irving Berlin! Wednesday, May 11, 2011
 Israel Isadore Baline was born on May 11, 1888 in Russia.  In 1893 his family  immigrated to the United States  and settled in New York City. Due to a misprint on the cover of “Marie from Sunny Italy” , which he co-wrote with a friend, Mike Nicholson, he became known as “I. Berlin”, and the “I” somehow became “Irving”.  In 1911, he made his first big hit with “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”. From then until the end of his career, he wrote about 1,500 songs. Irving Berlin is one of the best known and among the most prolific songwriters our country has ever known. “God Bless America“ is a Fourth of July standard. The musical, “Annie Get Your Gun” is still performed in community theaters. “Easter Parade” and “White Christmas“ are perennial favorites. When he died on September 22, 1989, America lost a living musical treasure. From choral to ukulele, Stanton’s has, or can order, music by Irving Berlin. Happy Birthday, Irving Berlin!