Ervin Drake

Full biography Ervin Drake

Ervin Drake was an American composer and songwriter who was born on April 3, 1919, in New York City. Drake passed away on January 15, 2015, at the age of 95. He had a prolific career in the music industry, having composed and written the lyrics for several American Songbook standards, including "I Believe" and "It Was a Very Good Year".

Drake was also the president of the American Guild of Authors and Composers and produced television programs. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. In addition to his work as a composer and songwriter, Drake wrote stage scores and song lyrics for film and television.

"It Was a Very Good Year," which Drake wrote both the words and music for , has become a classic song, and the introspective ballad helped define the career of singer Frank Sinatra. Drake also wrote "Tico Tico" and was known for his collaborations with other songwriters.

Drake had a remarkable career and an impact on the American Songbook; his legacy lives on in his music and the contributions he made to the music industry.