Billy Murray
William Thomas Murray (May 25, 1877 – August 17, 1954) was one of the most popular singers in the United States in the early 20th century. While he received star billing in Vaudeville, he was best known for his prolific work in the recording studio, making records for almost every record label of the era. Murray was the best-selling recording artist of the first quarter of the 20th century, selling over 300 million records during the phonograph era. |
Birth and Death Data: Born May 25, 1877 (Philadelphia), Died August 17, 1954 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1901 - 1941
Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal, speaker, performer, sound effects, whistling, vocalist, songwriter
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 776-800 of 1789 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | B-22286 | 10-in. | 10/18/1918 | Would you rather be a colonel with an eagle on your shoulder, or a private with a chicken on your knee? | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-22289 | 10-in. | 10/23/1918 | When Tony goes over the top | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | C-22390 | 12-in. | 2/27/1919 | Chong | Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-22442 | 10-in. | 12/2/1918 | The worst is yet to come | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-22443 | 10-in. | 12/2/1918 | Can you tame wild wimmen? | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-22561 | 10-in. | 1/27/1919 | The alcoholic blues | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-22562 | 10-in. | 1/27/1919 | My Barney lies over the ocean (Just the way he lied to me) | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-22588 | 10-in. | 2/14/1919 | How are you goin' to wet your whistle? | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-22665 | 10-in. | 3/31/1919 | Lullaby blues (In the evening) | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-22666 | 10-in. | 3/31/1919 | Anything is nice if it comes from Dixieland | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-22896 | 10-in. | 6/9/1919 | Jazzola | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23019 | 10-in. | 6/19/1919 | I ain't 'en got 'en no time to have the blues | Billy Murray ; Ed Smalle | Male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23020 | 10-in. | 6/19/1919 | Take your girlie to the movies (If you can't make love at home) | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23066 | 10-in. | 7/14/1919 | Dixie is Dixie once more | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23067 | 10-in. | 7/14/1919 | Breeze (Blow my baby back to me) | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with oboe, bassoon, and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23068 | 10-in. | 7/14/1919 | And he'd say oo-la-la! Wee-wee | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23069 | 10-in. | 7/14/1919 | Train time at Pun'kin Centre | Cal Stewart | Male vocal solo, with male vocal quartet | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23092 | 10-in. | 7/25/1919 | I've got my captain working for me now | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23135 | 10-in. | 9/5/1919 | Uncle Josh's birthday | American Quartet ; Ada Jones ; Cal Stewart | Descriptive scene, with female vocalist, male vocal quartet, and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23136 | 10-in. | 9/5/1919 | Whoa January (You're going to be worse than July) | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23137 | 10-in. | 9/5/1919 | Alexander's band is back in Dixieland | American Quartet ; Billy Murray | Male vocal quartet and soloist, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23413 | 10-in. | 10/15/1919 | Floatin' down to Cotton Town | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23414 | 10-in. | 10/15/1919 | Poor little Butterfly is a fly gal now | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23427 | 10-in. | 10/21/1919 | Wait till you get them up in the air, boys | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | B-23428 | 10-in. | 10/21/1919 | Poor little Butterfly is a fly girl now | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Murray, Billy," accessed November 23, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106525.
Murray, Billy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 23, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106525.
"Murray, Billy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 23 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Billy Murray
Discogs: Billy Murray
Allmusic: Billy Murray
Grove: Billy Murray
IMDb: Billy Murray
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Murray, Billy - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n92047706
Wikidata: Billy Murray - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q440215
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/56815561
MusicBrainz: Billy Murray - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6116bd4a-1e7a-4e76-9b59-0b23a2887b01
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