Alec Wilder

Highly esteemed as both a music scholar and a jazz composer, Alec Wilder (1907-1980) largely taught himself music at the Eastman School. He left for New York City, where he wrote popular songs and befriended prominent jazz musicians. He also wrote classical compositions, some of which were conducted by Frank Sinatra. In 1972, his book American Popular Song: The Great Innovators was one of the first to give scholarly attention to the songwriters of Tin Pan Alley.