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Tom GlazerOne of America's finest folk singers of the 20th century
Date of Birth: 03.09.1914
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Tom Glazer
Tom Glazer, one of America's greatest folk singers of the 20th century, was born on September 3, 1914 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents, Jacob and Sophia, were Russian immigrants. After moving to Philadelphia, Jacob worked as a carpenter at a shipyard. Tom was exposed to folk music from a young age, as his mother would often sing traditional ballads to comfort him. While attending school, Glazer also studied music at a local music school in Philadelphia, learning to play various instruments including the guitar, trumpet, tuba, and double bass.
In 1918, Tom's father passed away from the flu. Tom, along with his two brothers, was raised by his mother and her relatives. At the age of 17, Tom moved to New York, where he found a job at Macy's department store.
Early Career and Folk Music
After three years of studying at the City College of New York, Glazer dropped out and spent several years playing the trumpet in local jazz bands. During this time, he also began studying choral singing. By the early 1940s, Glazer became increasingly fascinated with folk music, particularly the ballads his mother used to sing to him as a child. As a result, he dedicated his first ballads, recorded on the Young People's Records label, to children.
Over the next few years, Glazer gained popularity as a performer of both children's and adult lyrical ballads. In 1947, he received the Record Music Award for his recordings aimed at children. In 1945, Glazer started his own radio show on ABC called "Tom Glazer's Ballad Box," which became one of the most popular radio programs for two years. He also appeared on television, participating in programs such as "We The People," "Listening Post," "True Story," and "Theatre Guild on the Air." After World War II, Glazer began writing and performing more lyrical ballads on radio and television.
Later Career and Legacy
In the 1950s and 1960s, Glazer composed music for movies and television. In 1957, he recorded several songs for the film "A Face in the Crowd," followed by works for films such as "Namu the Killer Whale" and "Sweet Land of Liberty." In 1959 and 1960, Glazer, along with Dottie Evans, recorded six albums of children's songs and ballads, which were combined into the project "Singing Science Records." Within "Singing Science Records," Glazer and Evans playfully educated children about modern advancements in science and technology.
In the 1960s, Glazer's ballad recordings sold over a million copies. He also recorded several humorous parodies as part of the "On Top of Spaghetti" and "Skokiaan" series. Some of Glazer's most popular works include the songs and ballads "A Dollar Ain't a Dollar Anymore," "More," "Till We Two Are One," "Ballad for the Babe," "Worried Man," "Old Soldiers Never Die," "Mama Guitar," "Melody of Love," "Care," and "Don't Weep, Don't Mourn, Don't Worry."
Glazer was married to Miriam Reed Eisenberg, but they divorced in 1974. On March 3, 2003, at the age of 88, Tom Glazer passed away in Rochester.
