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Ervin M Drake
Ervin Drake, born Ervin Maurice Druckman on April 3, 1919, in New York City, was an influential American songwriter known for his contributions to the American Songbook. He passed away on January 15, 2015, in Great Neck, New York. Drake's career spanned several decades, beginning with his first published song at the age of 12 in 1931. He was the son of Jewish immigrants Max Druckman and Pearl Cohen and had two brothers, Milton and Arnold, who also pursued creative careers.

Drake attended Townsend Harris High School and graduated in 1935. He later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in social science from the City College of New York in 1940 and studied music at the Juilliard School in 1963. His early success came with the English lyric for "Tico-Tico" in 1942 and the lyrics for "Perdido" in 1944, a piece composed by Juan Tizol for Duke Ellington's orchestra.

Among Drake's most notable works are "I Believe," introduced by Jane Froman in 1953 and a number-one hit for Frankie Laine, and "It Was a Very Good Year," famously recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1965. He also co-wrote the jazz standard "Good Morning Heartache," recorded by Billie Holiday and later by Diana Ross for the film "Lady Sings the Blues."

Drake was a versatile artist who worked as a television producer and collaborated with performers like Jackie Gleason and Milton Berle. He served as the founding president of the American Guild of Authors and Composers from 1973 to 1982, playing a significant role in the passage of the U.S. Copyright Law of 1976. In recognition of his contributions to music, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983.
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