The great songsmith Harold Arlen was born 116 years ago today in Buffalo, New York. His father was a Jewish cantor.

In the late 1920s and early ’30s, Arlen as a band vocalist with Red Nichols, Joe Venuti and Leo Reisman, among others.

Arlen wrote for motion pictures, Broadway musicals and Cotton Club reviews, working with such esteemed lyricists as Ted Koehler, E. Y. “Yip” Harburg, Ira Gershwin, and Johnny Mercer.

We’re featuring recordings of Arlen’s compositions all day today on Cladrite Radio. Why not tune in now?