American Quartet
The American Quartet was a four-member vocal group that recorded for various companies in the United States between 1899 and 1925. The membership varied over the years, but the most famous line-up — comprising John Bieling (first tenor), Billy Murray (second tenor), Steve Porter (baritone), and William F. Hooley (bass) — recorded for the Victor Talking Machine Company from 1909 to 1913. The same group of singers also recorded for Edison Records as the Premier Quartet (or Quartette), and for that and other labels as the Premier American Quartet. From 1912 to 1914 the quartet also recorded with countertenor Will Oakland as the Heidelberg Quintet. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Founded 1909, Died Ceased 1922
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1900 - 1926
Roles Represented in DAHR: Vocal group
Notes: Listed on some disc labels as American Quartette.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 126-150 of 364 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | B-11902 | 10-in. | 4/22/1912 | Daddy | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12050 | 10-in. | 5/28/1912 | At the club | American Quartet ; Will Oakland | Male vocal quartet and soloist, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12051 | 10-in. | 5/28/1912 | You're my baby | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12113 | 10-in. | 6/18/1912 | When you're away | American Quartet ; Edna Brown | Female vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12114 | 10-in. | 6/18/1912 | Mysterious moon | American Quartet ; Edna Brown | Female vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12179 | 10-in. | 7/11/1912 | When the rainbow shines bright at morn | American Quartet ; William F. Hooley | Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12338 | 10-in. | 9/6/1912 | On a good old time straw-ride | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12339 | 10-in. | 9/6/1912 | The village band | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12340 | 10-in. | 9/6/1912 | Everybody two-step | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12511 | 10-in. | 10/14/1912 | That syncopated boogie boo | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12512 | 10-in. | 10/14/1912 | Hitchy koo | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12524 | 10-in. | 10/22/1912 | On the Mississippi | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12525 | 10-in. | 10/22/1912 | Mocking bird rag | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12526 | 10-in. | 10/22/1912 | You're just as sweet at sixty as you were at sweet sixteen | American Quartet ; Walter Van Brunt | Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12647 | 10-in. | 11/22/1912 | Parisienne | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12667 | 10-in. | 12/2/1912 | Down in dear old New Orleans | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12668 | 10-in. | 12/2/1912 | Good-bye Sal | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12673 | 10-in. | 12/5/1912 | Garland of old-fashioned roses | Walter Van Brunt | Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12675 | 10-in. | 12/5/1912 | Beautiful doll, goodbye | American Quartet | Male vocal quintet (billed as "quartet"), with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12676 | 10-in. | 12/5/1912 | On the banks of the Wabash | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12677 | 10-in. | 12/5/1912 | For the sake of the days gone by | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12722 | 10-in. | 12/16/1912 | That old girl of mine | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12723 | 10-in. | 12/16/1912 | Medley of old songs | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12724 | 10-in. | 12/16/1912 | Mister Yankee Doodle | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-12888 | 10-in. | 2/10/1913 | Malinda | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "American Quartet," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106552.
American Quartet. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106552.
"American Quartet." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: American Quartet - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n92054722
Wikidata: Premier Quartet - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4744774
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/153748628
MusicBrainz: Premier Quartet - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/b122bc15-258b-4a7e-bb47-ac6db4d10072
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