Michael L. Lasser passed away on July 22 in Rochester, New York. Michael grew up across the Hudson in New Jersey at a time when kids, parents, and grandparents could sing all the popular Broadway songs. He graduated from Perkiomen School in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania. At Dartmouth he majored in English (and named professor John Finch as a mentor), belonged to Tau Epsilon Phi (social chairman) and the Press Club, and worked at The Daily D all four years. He earned a master’s from Brooklyn (New York) College and in 1959 began a private secondary school teaching career at Rutgers Preparatory School in Somerset, New Jersey. In 1966 he joined the Harley School in Rochester, where he taught English for 32 years (1966-98). He enjoyed teaching adolescents with “their energy, their still-forming natures,” while the upper grades gave him “the chance to teach some literature I love, Shakespeare, Hawthorne, Donne, Fitzgerald.” The school built an arts center and Michael was named its first director. In 1981 he began a weekly show about musical theater on his local radio station. It became nationally syndicated as Fascinatin’ Rhythm and won a George Peabody Foster Award. An authority on American popular music, Michael lectured and performed at universities, libraries, and art museums across the country. He wrote five books on the subject, including America’s Songs (two volumes) and Sweet Freedom’s Song (2025). Michael served his class as secretary, newsletter editor, and president. Predeceased by his wife, Elaine, Michael is survived by daughter Carol, son Robert, and their families.