Occupation Music publishing Died September 20, 2004 Children James, Bruce, and Gary Spouse Elizabeth Teifer | Name Gerry Teifer Employer Acuff-Rose Music Role Songwriter | |
Born May 28, 1922 ( 1922-05-28 ) | ||
Gerald Emmett Teifer (May 28, 1922 – September 20, 2004) was a songwriter, music publisher, recording industry executive, and entertainer.
Biography
He was born in Muskegon, Michigan and moved to Chicago, then in 1956 he moved to New York City.
His professional career took him to Los Angeles, and Nashville where he influenced the lives of many in the music business. Gerry's songs were recorded by numerous artists including Eddy Arnold, Johnnie Ray, and Doris Day. As a songwriter his best known hits were "A Full Time Job" recorded by Eddy Arnold (1952), and "I Don't Care (As Long As You Care For Me)", a song performed regularly on the Liberace show (circa 1953). He also co-wrote the New York Yankees theme song (under the pseudonym of Bob Bundin), which was heard on radio and early television as "Here Come The Yankees".
Gerry was also a talented whistler, and released several singles on Epic Records including "Poco A Poco", "Stop, Look And Whistle", "Heartaches", and "Blue Brazil". As a whistler he also recorded with Chuck Sagle and his Orchestra, was on the Leon Redbone album Double Time on Warner Brothers Records, and performed on numerous commercials.
During his career, he was the first General Manager of the CBS publishing company April/Blackwood Music, President of Metromedia Music, President of RCA Records publishing division Sunbury-Dunbar Music in New York, Vice-President of ATV Music Group in Nashville and in New York, and head of foreign licensing for Opryland Music Group in Nashville.
He was an Army paratrooper during World War II, a touring table tennis champion, and was well known among his colleagues as an excellent tennis player who regularly won music industry tournaments.
He married Elizabeth Edmunds and had 3 sons, James, Bruce and Gary. He later had 6 grandchildren, Elizabeth, Christine, Erin, Dylan, Claire, and Lydia.
He retired to Dunedin, Florida, and died at St. Mark Village, Palm Harbor, Florida, on September 20, 2004, at the age of 82.