She was born on July 10, 1883, as Adele P. Levi in Washington, D.C., the youngest daughter of Abraham D. Levi and Addie (Lloyd) Levi. She had a sister,
Mabel Rowland, who was an actress, monologist, producer and director, and a brother, Harmon L. Rowland, a real estate broker in Los Angeles, California. short A soprano, Rowland was a standout in musical comedy productions from 1904, specializing in "story songs". In 1914 she created the role of the
soubrette Patsy in
Victor Herbert's
The Only Girl. She was best known for her rendition of the song "
Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag", which she introduced in 1915 in the Broadway production of
Her Soldier Boy. The 1919 musical
The Lady in Red was created as a starring vehicle for her by playwright
Anne Caldwell. In that production she introduced a new song by
George Gershwin, "Something About Love", which contained lyrics by Lou Paley. Rowland later moved to Los Angeles. In 1935 she presented her stage talents for the film world at
Harold Lloyd's organization, the
Beverly Hills Little Theatre for Professionals, in John Entenza's play "A Notorious Lady", starring Paul De Ricon, Lora Treadwell, Grace Hale, and Robert Hoover, and directed by Alexander Leftwich. The theatre had been specifically organized as such a showcase. She made a career playing small parts in motion pictures, acting well into the 1950s. ==Personal life==