Alec Wilder

Biography

Alexander Lafayette Chew Wilder (February 16, 1907 – December 24, 1980) was an American composer, author, and radio host. Considered one of the most inventive and lyrical American composers, he wrote thousands of pieces of music across various genres, including American popular song and classical music. Though his musical compositions were not always widely known during his lifetime, he became a notable figure in musical history for his 1972 book, American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900–1950, which is widely regarded as a definitive work on the subject. He also hosted a Peabody Award-winning radio series, American Popular Song with Alec Wilder and Friends, on National Public Radio (NPR) in the mid-1970s.

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