Alexander's Ragtime Band is a 1911 Tin Pan Alley song composed by Irving Berlin - despite the title it is a march with little syncopation rather than a true ragtime piece. The song was introduced to the public by Emma Carus in spring 1911 and quickly became a international hit - the first phonograph recording was by Arthur Collins and Byron G. Harlan on May 23, 1911, and sheet music sales reached a million copies in 1911 and 1912. It sparked a ragtime revival across the world and helped Berlin rise to fame - many artists would cover it over the years including Bessie Smith (1927), Boswell Sisters (1934), Louis Armstrong (1937), and Bing Crosby with Connie Boswell (1938), and it featured in the 1938 film Alexander's Ragtime Band. The tune is sometimes linked to stories of its origin and even plagiarism rumors involving Scott Joplin, though Berlin consistently defended its originality - it remains a landmark hit that helped popularize ragtime in the early 20th century.
