Jerry Adler

Hilliard Gerald Adler (October 30, 1918 – March 13, 2010) was an American harmonica player whose performances have been used in numerous film soundtracks.

Adler was born in Baltimore, and early in his childhood mastered the harmonica, winning a local talent contest sponsored by the Baltimore Evening Sun at age 13. His older brother Larry Adler, four years his senior, had won the same contest five years earlier, performing the same piece, Beethoven's Minuet in G.

Later, Adler found work with Paul Whiteman and performed regularly with his orchestra. After starting his solo career, he joined the Army Air Corps, where he did theater and film work in the entertainment division.

Adler focused on popular music as his career developed, and he soloed in numerous film soundtracks from the 1940s to the 1960s, including Shane, High Noon, Mary Poppins, and My Fair Lady. He also taught actors how to pretend to play the instrument convincingly where their on-screen performances required.

He published an autobiography, Living from Hand to Mouth, in 2005.

Jerry Adler died of prostate cancer in 2010, aged 91.

Birth and Death Data: Born Baltimore (city in Maryland, United States), Died March 13, 2010 (Ellenton (census-designated place in Manatee County, Florida, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1941 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: harmonica

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 51-70 of 70 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia RHCO4088 10-in. 6/8/1950 It ain't a gonna happen to me Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia HCO4193 10-in. 8/2/1950 Steppin' out Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO4194 10-in. 8/2/1950 Set 'em up Joe Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO4446 10-in. 3/13/1951 Sick sober and sorry Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band and vocal chorus instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO4447 10-in. 3/13/1951 Tennessee walking horse Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO4448 10-in. 3/13/1951 Keep your cotton pickin' hands off my gal Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO10616 10-in. 10/13/1953 Thanks Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band and vocal trio instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO10617 10-in. 10/13/1953 Sweet mama, tree top tall Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO10618 10-in. 10/13/1953 Put a little sweetnin' in your love Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO10763 10-in. 2/16/1954 Fire water Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO10764 10-in. 2/16/1954 Stealin' Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO10765 10-in. 2/16/1954 My darling Lola Lee Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO10766 10-in. 2/16/1954 I lose again Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO33350 10-in. 2/23/1955 Louisiana swing Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO33351 10-in. 2/23/1955 Six of one, half-a-dozen of the other Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO33353 10-in. 2/23/1955 Jim, Johnny and Jonas Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO33723 10-in. 3/1/1956 The little rock roll Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO33725 10-in. 3/1/1956 I'll be here (after you're gone) Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO33957 10-in. 8/28/1956 Lonesome train Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Columbia RHCO33960 10-in. 8/28/1956 Laughing back the heartaches Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, harmonica  
(Results 51-70 of 70 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Adler, Jerry," accessed January 7, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/371446.

Adler, Jerry. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 7, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/371446.

"Adler, Jerry." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 7 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/371446

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