Clarence Gaskill
Clarence Gaskill was an American composer and lyricist born on February 2, 1892, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was educated at St. John's School and Friends School in Philadelphia and received his initial music education from his mother before studying with private teachers. Gaskill began his career as a pianist in a local theater at the age of 16 and founded his own music publishing firm by the age of 21.
During World War I, Gaskill served as a machine gunner and earned a Purple Heart. He also entertained troops and wrote the war song "That's a Mother's Liberty Loan." After the war, he toured vaudeville under the stage name "Melody Monarch."
Gaskill was active in the music industry primarily during the 1920s and early 1930s, joining the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1921. He collaborated with notable musicians and lyricists such as Jimmy McHugh, Cab Calloway, Irving Mills, Leo Robin, and Duke Ellington. Some of his most famous compositions include "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me" (1927), "Prisoner of Love" (1932), "Minnie the Moocher" (1931), and "Doo-Wacka-Doo" (1921).
Gaskill's knowledge of the music business and copyright laws allowed him to claim composer credit on several traditional songs, including "Jingle Bells" and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." He passed away on April 29, 1948, in New Brighton, New York.
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