And we continue with our American stories.

He was known for writing music and lyrics in the American vernacular, uncomplicated, simple, and direct,

with his stated aim being to reach the heart

of the average American, whom he saw as the real soul of the country. Here to tell the story

of Irving Berlin, his best-selling author Lawrence Burgreen, who wrote the definitive biography

as thousands cheer the life of Irving Berlin.

Let's take a listen.

People had wanted to write some sort of biography for a long time.

And when I began, I thought he was dead.

Most people thought he was dead.

Now, as it turns out, he lives about a quarter of a mile from where I live now on Beekman Place in the same neighborhood almost in Manhattan, but he'd been a recluse for so long for decades.

It was like Greta Garbo, I want to be alone.

It was like that, and he was not only a shut-in, he didn't communicate with people.

And when he did, he was very, very cranky. And he really only talked to his doctor and his accountant. And by then his wife was

deceased and I think his daughters stayed away. It's sad because, you know, this was a great

songwriter, a cultural hero, really an example of industriousness.

But he suffered from mental illness, paranoia, senility, whatever you want to call it.

I don't know how you would define it.

And it became pronounced when he was about 60 years old after the failure

of Broadway show Miss Liberty. So it extended for almost 40 years. Four zero. I mean, it's incredible.

So I was curious what happened to Irving Berlin? How could this greatest of all American songwriters, my consensus,

apparently, you know, very charming, sensitive, bright person had become so reclusive. Also,

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