Location: National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial 100 W. 26th Street

Thanks to a misprint on his first song, 19-year-old Irving Baline became Irving Berlin. Four years later, he was a professional songwriter sufficiently established for the Friars Club to sponsor a testimonial in his honor. As his contribution to the celebration, he wrote what would become the song “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.”

Michael Lasser presents the life of “America’s Unlikliest Genius” as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the famous song.