Alexander's Ragtime Band is a Tin Pan Alley song by American composer Irving Berlin released in 1911; it is often inaccurately cited as his first global hit
Despite its title, the song is a march as opposed to a rag and contains little syncopation. The song is a narrative sequel to Berlin's earlier 1910 composition Alexander and his Clarinet. This earlier composition recounts the reconciliation between an African-American musician named Alexander Adams and his flame Eliza Johnson as well as highlights Alexander's innovative musical style. Berlin's friend Jack Alexander, a cornet-playing African-American bandleader, inspired the title character. Emma Carus, a famous contralto renowned for her high lung power, introduced Berlin's song to the public in Spring 1911. Carus' brassy performance of Alexander's Ragtime Band at the American Music Hall in Chicago on April 18, 1911, electrified the audience and she toured other metropolises such as Detroit and New York City with acclaimed performances that featured the catchy tune that contributed to its immense popularity.
