Gaskill was a famous composer/songwriter, best known for 'Minnie The Moocher' and 'Strange Interlude'. Educated at St. John's School and Friends School in Philadelphia. His first music teacher was his mother, but he soon progressed to private teachers.

By age 16 he was working as a pianist in a local theatre, and by age 21 had founded his own music publishing firm. In WWI he served as a machine gunner, earning a Purple Heart. He also found time to compose a sentimental war song, 'That's A Mother's Liberty Loan'.  Following the cessation of hostilities he toured vaudeville using the stage name of The Melody Monarch. His first hit came in 1919, when he collaborated with Harry Armstrong on 'I Love You Just The Same Sweet Adeline'.

His first rolls appear to have been made for the DeLuxe company of Philadelphia, and probably date from just before he entered military service. One example is #15416 Hawaiian Medley by Alau, which was probably produced around 1917.

He joined ASCAP in 1921 and produced many more hits such as 'I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me', 'Prisoner Of Love', 'Doo-Wacka-Doo', 'Another Perfect Day Has Passed Away', 'Still I Love Her', 'Swanee River Rhapsody' in collaboration with such lyricists as Jimmie McHugh, Irving Mills, Duke Ellington, Leo Robin, and Cab Calloway.