Barry Niesen

American composer (born April 7, 1913 in Los Angeles, CA – died March 29, 1969 in Miami Beach, Florida) Born Benjamin Nisenbaum in Los Angeles, Niesen grew up in Newark, NJ, and Gloversville, NY. In 1934, he graduated with a Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University where he had played in the university symphony orchestra, sang in the university choir, and wrote the junior prom song, "My Prom Girl." In the late 1930s, Niesen co-wrote several popular songs with Jay Milton and Harold Lawrence (2), namely "Shame On You" (May 1937), "Little Lad" (August 1937), "Down Stream" (December 1937), and "Gardenias" (November 1938). For "The Key To My Heart" (May 1937), he worked with Jay Milton and Jerry Kanner. In 1939, he abandoned his songwriting career to found a popular music store in Asbury Park, New Jersey, the Fried-Niesen (later just Niesen) Music Center. In the 27 years that he ran the store, it grew into a chain of three regional stores, with branches in Toms River and Eatontown. In 1966, Niesen retired and moved to Miami Beach.