Herb Kern

American organist (born October 13, 1899 in Columbus, OH - died October 14, 1950 in Los Angeles, CA). Kern only completed second grade of elementary school because he began studying music at age 6. He attended Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, the American Conservatory in Chicago, and the University of Minnesota. During World War I, Kern served as Musician First Class in the Navy. After the war, he settled in Los Angeles. Performing in movie theaters or with his own band from the 1920s through the 1940s, Kern became one of the staff artists for Tempo (7). Between 1946 and 1949, he recorded many titles for them on the Hammond organ, sometimes teaming up with Ben Light on the piano, sometimes partnering with Lloyd Sloop on the Novachord.