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 1-25 of 364 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]42[a] | 10-in. | 3/18/1902 | A Negro wedding in southern Georgia | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]42[a] | 7-in. | 10/26/1900 | A Negro wedding in southern Georgia | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]43[a] | 10-in. | 10/26/1901 | A night trip to Buffalo | Haydn Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]43[a] | 7-in. | 5/25/1900 | Night trip to Buffalo | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]48 | 10-in. | 12/4/1902 | Sidewalks of New York | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]910 | 7-in. | 7/17/1901 | Medley of plantation songs | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]911 | 7-in. | 7/17/1901 | Dancing on the old barn floor | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]912 | 7-in. | 7/17/1901 | Darling Nellie Gray | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]913 | 10-in. | 3/18/1902 | Louisiana Lou | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]913 | 7-in. | 7/17/1901 | Louisiana Lou | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]914 | 7-in. | 7/17/1901 | Good-bye Dolly Gray | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]915 | 10-in. | 10/26/1901 | In Dixie land | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]915 | 7-in. | 7/17/1901 | In Dixie land | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]916 | 7-in. | 7/17/1901 | The bridge | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]917 | 10-in. | 3/18/1902 | Nationality medley | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]917 | 7-in. | 7/17/1901 | Nationality medley | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]1067 | 10-in. | 10/26/1901 | The wedding of Reuben and the maid | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]1067 | 7-in. | 10/26/1901 | The wedding of Reuben and the maid | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]1071 | 10-in. | 10/26/1901 | Portions of the last speech of President McKinley and his favorite hymns | William F. Hooley | Recitation, with male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]1071 | 7-in. | 10/26/1901 | Portions of the last speech of President McKinley and his favorite hymns | William F. Hooley | Recitation, with male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]1072 | 10-in. | 10/26/1901 | Medley of patriotic songs | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]1072 | 7-in. | 10/26/1901 | Medley of patriotic songs | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]1330 | 10-in. | 3/18/1902 | The battle of Santiago | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]1330 | 7-in. | 3/18/1902 | The battle of Santiago | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]1331 | 10-in. | 3/18/1902 | The wedding of the Reuben and the maid | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with piano | Vocal group |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "American Quartet," accessed November 23, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106552.
American Quartet. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 23, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106552.
"American Quartet." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 23 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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