Harry David Kerr (8 October 1880 Santa Rosa, California – 21 May 1957 Los Angeles) was an American songwriter, lyricist, author, and lawyer. Kerr became active in music at age 15 (1895). The practice of law had been his prime avocation until 1920, when he decided to focus on songwriting. But he still continued to use his legal training in music. In 1922, while living in New York City, Kerr prepared the incorporation documents for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), of which he had become one of 90 charter members at its founding in 1914.
Copyright activist From February 1900 to 1903, he had studied law in the law office of George H. Cobb of Watertown, New York. In May 1905, Kerr received an LL.B. from Albany Law School.
Beginning in 1907 as a young lawyer, Kerr worked for about 18 months with a coalition in Washington, D.C., for the passage of the Copyright Act of 1909, which secured the rights of composers to charge royalties on the sales of sound recordings. While lobbying for it, Kerr was associated with the New York City law firm Dougherty, Olcott & Tenney.
The U.S. Congregational Committee on Copyrights began hearings Mary 26–28, 1908, at the Library of Congress, to vet the concerns and proposals of authors and managers. Constituent groups giving testimony were the (i) National Association of Theatrical Managers, (ii) the Allied Copyright Committee, and (iii) the White Rats, an author advocacy group of which Kerr was a member.
In 1909, Kerr also wrote the lyrics to "Get on a Raft With Taft," President William H. Taft's campaign song — a particularly memorable concept given that Taft weighed 300 lbs. Taft signed the Copyright Act into law.
Growing up Kerr attended Gouverneur High School, Gouverneur, New York, during the 1899–1900 school-year. He moved to Watertown, New York, sometime after that, but before 1901.
Career before becoming a lawyer In June 1901, Kerr moved from Watertown, New York, to Denver to accept an executive and governance position — corporate secretary and director — with The New York Mining and Development Company, of which Ezekiel Hanson Cook, PhD (1845–1907), who from 1994 to 1889 had been the president of Potsdam Normal College, was president. Charles Finding was the Vice President and Charles Love was the Treasurer. The same group of executives simultaneously ran another Denver-based mining company called Mountain Pride Mining Co.
Selected songs
(publisher unknown) "Listen to the Rain," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler (1881–1940) "Send Back Dear Daddy To Me," lyrics by Kerr, music by Irving Maslof "Sweetheart Days," lyrics by Kerr, music by Homer Tourjée (1866–1943) (1920) "Don't Make Your Sweet Mama Cry Over You," lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett, arranged by Vern Elliott (1922) "If I Had a Little Girl Like You," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Milton Heinzman (1873–1943) (1935) "Just You, Dear," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Milton Heinzman (1873–1943) (1935) "I'd Love to Know," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan (1880–1937) (1920) "If All The Years Were Mine," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler (1881–1940) (1920) "There's No Other Rose Like You," lyrics by Kerr, music by William Alexander "My Rosebud Rosary," lyrics by Hal Billings (pseudonym of Kerr), music by Charlie Straight & Roy Bargy, arranged by Otto Frey (1921) "When Love's the Gondolier," lyrics by Hal Billings (pseudonym of Kerr), music by Henry R. Cohen (1922) "I Can't Forgive and Forget," lyrics by Hal Billings (pseudonym of Kerr), music by Joseph Meyer (1923) "Pep," (aka "Yankee Pep") lyrics by Kerr, music by Elizabeth D. Armer, arranged by Homer Tourjée (1866–1943) (1919) "If Solomon Had a Million Wives Today," lyrics and music by Kerr (manuscript) "My Heart is the Harbor to Hold All Your Love," lyrics and music by Kerr (manuscript) "That's Where I Love You the Most," lyrics and music by Kerr (manuscript) "When Your Love Crept Into My Heart," lyrics by Kerr, music by William (Billy) D. Alexander (1919)
Windsor Music Co, Chicago, New York "Waiting," lyrics & music by Kerr (1902) "Dorothy Waltzes," lyrics & music by Kerr (1903) "Elinore Waltzes," lyrics & music by Kerr (1904)
Willis Woodward & Co., New York "May I Call on You?," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Arthur Blumenthal (1906)
The Mammoth Music Company, Albany, New York "Put Your Shoes in My Trunk," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry P. Vogel (1906) "When Daddy Sings the Little Ones to Sleep," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry P. Vogel "Don't Say Good Bye, Sweet Elinore," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry P. Vogel (1906) "Blue Eyed Mary," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry P. Vogel
Roger A. Graham, Providence All I heard was 'Dance me round again, Bill,' lyrics by Kerr, music by William C. Lindemann (1909); Love Is Only A Dream, lyrics by Kerr, music by William C. Lindemann (1909);
Metropolis Music Co. "Lull Me To Sleep, That Slumber Melody," lyrics by Kerr, music by Ted S. Barron (née Theodore S. Barron; 1879–1943) (1914) "My Rosy Love Dreams of You," lyrics by Kerr, music by Ted S. Barron (1879–1943) (1914)
M. Witmark & Sons "Drifting Down the Old St. Lawrence," lyrics & music by Kerr (1900) "The Ebony-Colored Club; Ethiopian Two-Step," lyrics & music by Kerr (1901) "Where Love Alone is King," lyrics by Kerr, music by Ernest R. Ball (1907) "In a Little Wigwam," lyrics & music by Kerr (1908) "Father Has a Tender Heart," lyrics & music by Kerr (1908) "I'm Just a Ragged Newsboy, But My Heart's True Blue," lyrics & music by Kerr (1908) "There's a Sunny Smile Waiting For Me," lyrics by Kerr, music by Leo Edwards (1930)
Jerome H. Remick & Co., Detroit, New York "Won't You Share a Little Home With Me?" lyrics & music by Kerr (1908) "Tell Me the Story of Love," lyrics by Kerr, music by C Sharpe Minor (Charles Sharpe Minor; died 1957) (1920) "Some Day the Long Way Will Turn," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler (1881–1940) (1920) "Years," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan (1880–1937) (1920) "Just Keep a Thought For Me," lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett & Max Fischer, arr. by J. Bodewalt Lampe (1921) "Two Tiny Hands," lyrics by Kerr, Henry Joseph Tandler (1881–1940) (1920) "Manzanilla" (tango), lyrics by Hal Billings (pseudonym of Kerr), music Henry Joseph Tandler (1881–1940) (1923) "Counting the Days," lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett & Jess Kirkpatrick (1924) "Guessing," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry R. Cohen, cover artist William Austin Starmer (1925)
Leo Feist, Inc. "Just Tell Me You Are Mine," lyrics by Kerr, music by Ted S. Barron (née Theodore S. Barron; 1879–1943) (1905) "Get on the Raft With Taft," lyrics by Kerr, music by Abe Holzmann (1908) (President Taft weighed 300 lbs.) "Blue Moon," lyrics by Kerr, music by Earl Burtnett & Louis Marcasie (1921) "Keep All Your Love For Me," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan (1880–1937), arranged by Arthur Lange (1919) French Version: "Tout ton amour pour moi," French text by A. Bollaert "Whenever I Think of You," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler (1881–1940) (1929);
Victor Kremer Co, Chicago "While You are Mine," lyrics by Kerr, music by W G Powell (1907) "While Love and Life Shall Last," lyrics & music by Kerr (1909)
Miller Music Publishing Co., Chicago "Ride Me in a Big Balloon," lyrics and music by Kerr (1910) "When You Marry a Girl For Looks," lyrics & music by Kerr (1910) "Your Love is My Guiding Star," lyrics & music by Kerr (1910) "Playin' Honeymoon," lyrics & music by Kerr (1910)
Vinton Pub. Co., Boston "Sweetest Mem'ries of Courting Days," lyrics and music by Kerr (1911) "I'd Love to Have You Love Me: (as I Love You)," lyrics & music by Kerr (1911)
Joe Morris Music Co., New York "We're Ready for Teddy Again," lyrics by Kerr, music by Alfred Solman (1912)
Church, Paxson & Co., New York "My Rose in a World of Tears," lyrics by Kerr, music by Jerome Heller (1912)
"I Looked Into Thine Eyes," No. 1 "Slumber in Thy Little Nest," No. 2 "When You Are Near," No. 3 "Could I But Read Your Heart," No. 4 "The Shepherd's Call," No. 5 "Love's Secret," No. 6 "Shadows of Evening," No. 7 "Down Deep in a Submarine," lyrics & music by Kerr (1915)
C.C. Church & Co., Hartford, Connecticut My Yukon Rose," song, lyrics by Kerr, music by William D. Alexander
G. Schirmer "Wonderful Love of My Dreams," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler (1881–1940) (1919)
C. C. Church & Co., Hartford "My Yukon Rose," lyrics by Kerr, music by William D Alexander (1920)
New Amsterdam Music Corporation, New York "I'm an American, That's All," lyrics by Kerr, music by Johann C. Schmid (1870–1951) (1915)
Gillick Co., San Francisco "When Lola Pedals on the Pianola" (1917) "You've Certainly Opened My Eyes," (1917) "When My Alimony Ship Comes In," lyrics & music by Kerr (1917)
Joseph W. Stern & Co. "She's a Rose in the World of Smiles and Tears," lyrics by Kerr, music by Alfred Baldwin Sloane (1905) "I've Had Many a Sweetheart But None Like You," lyrics & music by Kerr (1907) "Make Me a Boy Again Just for Tonight," by music & lyrics by Kerr (1917)
Chas. E. Roat Music Co., Battle Creek, Michigan "Your Heart is in the Rose," lyrics & music by Kerr (1917)
Edward L. Ballenger Music Publishing Co., Los Angeles "You Can Always Come Back to Me," lyrics & music by Kerr (1917) "In My Garden of Eden," lyrics & music by Kerr (1917) "In A Rosy Cosy Arbor (There's A Harbor For Our Love)," lyrics & music by Kerr (1918) "That's Why Heaven Sent Me You," lyrics & music by Kerr (1918)
Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. "Uncle Sammy, Keep the Family Cellar Full," by Kerr; Anna Chandler, Dave Dreyer (1917) "Yokohama Love," lyrics by Kerr, music by Billy Alexander (1919) "Sweet Little Bon-Bon," lyrics by Kerr, music by Sid Grauman (1921)
Pace & Handy Music Co., Memphis "The Song the Sunny Southland Sings," lyrics & music by Kerr (1917)
ArtMusic, Inc., New York (Will Von Tilzer; né William Gumm; 1882–1952) "Two Big Brown Eyes," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan (1880–1937) (1918) "Love Is Like a Precious Pearl," lyrics by Kerr, music by Otto Motzan (1880–1937) (1919)
Broadway Music Corporation (Will Von Tilzer; 1882–1952) "Down by the Millside Alongside the Hillside," lyrics by Lew Brown, music by Kerr (1919)
Los Angeles Music Publishing Co. "Dinah Lee," lyrics by Kerr, music by George J. Hayes (1919) "Gypsy rose," lyrics by Kerr, music by Constance Loeser (1919)
T. Presser, Philadelphia "Only to Live In Your Heart," lyrics by Kerr, music by James Francis Cooke (1919) "My Dream of Paradise Came True," lyrics by Kerr, music by Homer Tourjée (1866–1943) (1919)
F.B. Haviland Pub. Co. (Frederick Benjamin Haviland; 1867–1932) "While the Stars in the Heavens Shine," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry W. Petrie (1941) "Comrade O' Mine," lyrics by Kerr, music by Elizabeth Thomas (1919)
C. Arthur Fifer Music Co., Quincy, Illinois (Charles Arthur Fifer; 1884–1950) "Sailing Down Manila Bay," lyrics by Kerr, music by C. Arthur Fifer (1919) "When You're Lonely, So Lonely, Just Drifting," lyrics by Kerr, music by C. Arthur Fifer (1919) "Wonderlove," lyrics by Kerr, music by Henry Joseph Tandler (1881–1940) (1919) "I've Got a Little Home in the Country," lyrics by Kerr, music by C. Arthur Fifer (1919)
L.F. Collin, Melbourne (distributor for C. Arthur Fifer Music Co.) "Happy Days," lyrics by Kerr, music by C Arthur Fifer (1919) "Just For a Place In Your Heart," lyrics & music by Kerr
Wright Music, Seattle "When Love and the World are in Tune," lyrics by Kerr, music by William D. Alexander; Harry D Kerr (1919)
A.J. Stasny Music Co. "If Tears Could Tell You All," lyrics by Kerr, music by Evans Lloyd (1920)
J.W. Jenkin's Sons Music, Kansas City, Missouri "Colleen O'Mine," lyrics by Kerr, music by Gerald McDonald (1920)