Jerome Kern Chord Charts & Sheet Music

Jerome Kern (1885–1945) was a pivotal American composer who significantly shaped the landscape of musical theatre and popular music. Over his prolific career, he composed more than 700 songs featured in over 100 stage works and films. Kern's groundbreaking 1927 musical Show Boat, created with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, introduced a new level of narrative depth and integration in musicals, addressing complex themes like racial prejudice and enduring love. His timeless compositions include classics such as "Ol' Man River," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," and "All the Things You Are." Kern's innovative blending of European operetta traditions with American jazz and popular styles laid the foundation for the modern American musical.