Jerry Adler

Hilliard Gerald Adler (October 30, 1918 – March 13, 2010) was an American harmonica player whose performances have been used in numerous film soundtracks. Adler was born in Baltimore, and early in his childhood mastered the harmonica, winning a local talent contest sponsored by the Baltimore Evening Sun at age 13. His older brother Larry Adler, four years his senior, had won the same contest five years earlier, performing the same piece, Beethoven's Minuet in G. Later, Adler found work with Paul Whiteman and performed regularly with his orchestra. After starting his solo career, he joined the Army Air Corps, where he did theater and film work in the entertainment division. Adler focused on popular music as his career developed, and he soloed in numerous film soundtracks from the 1940s to the 1960s, including Shane, High Noon, Mary Poppins, and My Fair Lady. He also taught actors how to pretend to play the instrument convincingly where their on-screen performances required. He published an autobiography, Living from Hand to Mouth, in 2005. Jerry Adler died of prostate cancer in 2010, aged 91.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 30, 1918 (Baltimore), Died March 13, 2010 (Ellenton)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1941 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: harmonica

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 56 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Columbia	H437	10-in.	8/12/1941	Those gone and left me blues	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	H438	10-in.	8/12/1941	I won't stand in your way	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	Male vocal duet with string band	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	H439	10-in.	8/12/1941	Down in the dumps	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	H440	10-in.	8/12/1941	Don't you weep anymore darlin'	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	H441	10-in.	8/12/1941	The road is way too long	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	H442	10-in.	8/12/1941	Baby, you're thru foolin' me	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	H443	10-in.	8/12/1941	I'm poundin' the rails again	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal duet	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	H467	10-in.	8/19/1941	I've had the blues before	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	H585	10-in.	12/2/1941	You brought sorrow to my heart	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	H586	10-in.	12/2/1941	You don't care	Johnny Bond	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2161	10-in.	11/25/1946	Divorce me C.O.D.	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2162	10-in.	11/25/1946	So round, so firm, so fully packed	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2163	10-in.	11/25/1946	Rainbow at midnight	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	Male vocal duet, with string band	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2249	10-in.	3/6/1947	Don't look now (your broken heart is showing)	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2250	10-in.	3/6/1947	Too many years too late	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2251	10-in.	3/6/1947	Take it or leave it baby	Johnny Bond	Male vocal solo, with string band	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2252	10-in.	3/6/1947	Rock my cradle once again	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2353	10-in.	6/4/1947	The daughter of Jole Blon	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2354	10-in.	6/4/1947	Blind alley	Johnny Bond	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2355	10-in.	6/4/1947	It's a sin	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2356	10-in.	6/4/1947	What's been going on (while I've been gone)	Johnny Bond	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2472	10-in.	7/22/1947	Smoke! smoke! smoke! (that cigarette)	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo and male vocal group	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2473	10-in.	7/22/1947	Fat gal	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2474	10-in.	7/22/1947	Wasted tears	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica
Columbia	HCO2475	10-in.	7/22/1947	I like my chicken fryin' size	Johnny Bond	String band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, harmonica

(Results 1-25 of 56 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Adler, Jerry," accessed November 4, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/371446.

Adler, Jerry. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/371446.

"Adler, Jerry." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 4 November 2024.