Career
Born as Benjamin Hozer. His composing ability showed early in his life with his composition of his "Class Song " at Jefferson Junior High School in 1932. He was then educated at the New England Conservatory of Music.
He began his professional career by moving to New York City in 1938 and changing his name to Homer.
He found his musical talents in great demand in the music industry. Homer became a staff composer for dance band leader Les Brown in 1940.
During his career he arranged for the orchestras of Les Brown, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, and Jimmy Dorsey, and also for films, records and television His chief musical collaborator was the lyricist Bud Green.
His most popular works are "Sentimental Journey" (1944), "Bizet Has His Day" (1945) (a jazz arrangement of Georges Bizet"s “Farandole” from L’Arlésienne-Suite), "Shoot the Sherbet to Maine Herbert" (1939) and "Joltin" Joe Di Maggio" (1941).
He returned to the New England Conservatory of Music in 1942 to teach modern music theory and arranging.