Carl Fischer was an American pianist, composer, and arranger who wrote hundreds of songs during the swing era and early postwar period. Born in Los Angeles in 1912, he became known primarily through his decade-long partnership with singer Frankie Laine, serving as his pianist, arranger, and music director. Fischer's most enduring compositions, written with lyricist Bill Carey, became jazz standards frequently performed and recorded. "We'll Be Together Again," introduced by Laine in 1945, remains a beloved ballad in the jazz repertoire. Earlier collaborations yielded "You've Changed" and "It Started All Over Again," both from 1942, with the former recorded by Dick Haymes and Harry James. Though Fischer wrote prolifically, many of his songs were never formally published, a common pattern for songwriters of the era. He died in Sherman Oaks, California, in 1954 at age 41.
