Carl T. Fischer was a Cherokee pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer in Los Angeles, born 1912. Beginning at a young age, he played with many bands in hotels and clubs. His long-standing role as music director for Frankie Laine led to much success as a songwriter. His most well-known works are the songs You’ve Changed, We’ll Be Together Again (with lyrics by Laine), Who Wouldn’t Love You, and It Started All Over Again.
A letter from Carl
On January 14, 1941, Fischer wrote a letter to a Mr. Brandt. He wrote: “In answer to your letter of Jan. 3 asking for a more complete biography for publicity purposes I am stating a few facts that I hope will be of use.” Here, on page 7 of that letter, Fischer talks about his Indian Suite, which will later be known as Reflections of an Indian Boy. Earlier in the letter, Fischer says: “I have worked in dance orchestras throughout the country – and to my knowledge the only American Indian pianist in the dance band and radio business.” While Fischer likely would not have been known as Cherokee to his listening audience, he certainly did not hide his identity.
Carl’s family
Fischer married singer Terry Harwin, an accomplished vocalist in the radio business and the first vocalist to perform with the San Kenton band. Terry and Carl had two daughters, Terry and Carol, both of whom had careers in the music business. The two daughters, along with a third vocalist, achieved fame in 1963 with a song called “Popsicles and Icicles” under the group name The Murmaids.
Fischer’s music
Fischer wrote hundreds of songs, most of which were never published or recorded. This would not have been unusual for songwriters in the 1930’s through the 1950’s. Songwriting teams would write many songs and shop them to record labels and publishers to pair them with recording artists needing material for new records. Occasionally, a song would be picked up, recorded, and become a successful (i.e. “hit”) record. Fischer had several of these. But the images below are from a repository of handwritten scores of works that were likely never released. The first, called “Sunburst”, appears to be an unused portion of what became the Indian Suite.
The Indian Suite
In 1954, shortly after Fischer’s death, Reflections of an Indian Boy was premiered by the Cleveland Orchestra and later released on Columbia records, with an orchestra under the direction of Paul Weston. Fischer had left the work complete in the form of piano scores that had to be transcribed from recordings. The orchestration was completed by Victor Young. While the work never gained popularity as a free-standing instrumental composition, it was adapted as the music for a play called Tecumseh! and is heard by thousands of theater-goers every summer.
