Early life Kern was born in New York City, on Sutton Place, in what was then the city's brewery district."Jerome Kern Dies; Noted Composer, 60" . The New York Times, November 12, 1945 His parents were Henry Kern (1842–1908), a Jewish German immigrant, and Fannie Kern née Kakeles (1852–1907), who was an American Jew of Bohemian parentage.Slonimsky, Nicholas and Laura Kuhn (ed). Kern, Jerome (David)" . Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Volume 3 (Schirmer Reference, New York, 2001), accessed May 10, 2010 (requires subscription) At the time of Kern's birth, his father ran a livery stable; later he became a successful merchant. Kern grew up on East 56th Street in Manhattan, where he attended public schools. He showed an early aptitude for music and was taught to play the piano and organ by his mother, a professional player and teacher.Byrnside, Ronald and Andrew Lamb. "Kern, Jerome (David)" . Grove Online, Oxford Music Online, accessed May 10, 2010 (requires subscription).
Early life Kern was born in New York City, on Sutton Place, in what was then the city's brewery district."Jerome Kern Dies; Noted Composer, 60" . The New York Times, November 12, 1945 His parents were Henry Kern (1842–1908), a Jewish German immigrant, and Fannie Kern née Kakeles (1852–1907), who was an American Jew of Bohemian parentage.Slonimsky, Nicholas and Laura Kuhn (ed). Kern, Jerome (David)" . Baker's Bio,graphical Dictionary of Musicians, Volume 3 (Schirmer Reference, New York, 2001), accessed May 10, 2010 (requires subscription) At the time of Kern's birth, his father ran a livery stable; later he became a successful merchant. Kern grew up on East 56th Street in Manhattan, where he attended public schools. He showed an early aptitude for music and was taught to play the piano and organ by his mother, a professional player and teacher.Byrnside, Ronald and Andrew Lamb. "Kern, Jerome (David)" . Grove Online, Oxford Music Online, accessed May 10 2010 (requires subscription).