Billy Murray (singer)

Billy Murray

May 1911
Background information
Birth name William Thomas Murray
Born (1877-05-25)May 25, 1877
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Origin New York City
Died August 17, 1954(1954-08-17) (aged 77)
Jones Beach, New York
Genres Pop
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Singer
Years active 1899–1943
Labels OkeH

William Thomas "Billy" Murray (May 25, 1877 – August 17, 1954) was one of the most popular singers in the United States in the early decades of the 20th century.[1] 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.

Life and career

Billy Murray was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Patrick and Julia (Kelleher) Murray, immigrants from County Kerry, Ireland.[2][3] His parents moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1882, where he grew up. He became fascinated with the theater and joined a traveling vaudeville troupe in 1893. He also performed in minstrel shows early in his career. In 1897 Murray made his first recordings for Peter Bacigalupi, the owner of a phonograph company in San Francisco. As of 2010 none of Murray's Bacigalupi cylinder records are known to have survived.[3] In 1903 he started recording regularly in the New York City and New Jersey area, when the nation's major record companies as well as the Tin Pan Alley music industry were concentrated there.

In 1906 he recorded the first of his popular duets with Ada Jones. He also performed with Aileen Stanley, the Haydn Quartet, the American Quartet (also known as the Premier Quartet), and Elsie Baker, in addition to his solo work.

Nicknamed "The Denver Nightingale", Murray had a strong tenor voice with excellent enunciation and a more conversational delivery than common with bel canto singers of the era. On comic songs he often deliberately sang slightly flat, which he felt helped the comic effect. Although he often performed romantic numbers and ballads which sold well, his comedy and novelty song recordings continue to be popular with later generations of record collectors.

Billy Murray newspaper ad from 1919

Murray was a devoted baseball fan, and he is said to have played with the New York Highlanders (Yankees) in exhibition games. He also supposedly sometimes called in sick to recording sessions in order to go to the ballpark. Murray recorded "Tessie, You Are the Only, Only, Only", which became the unofficial theme of the 1903 World Series, when the words were changed from "Tessie, you know I love you madly," to "Honus, why do you hit so badly?"

Murray's popularity faded as public taste changed and recording technology advanced; the rise of the electric microphone in the mid-1920s coincided with the era of the crooners. His "hammering" style, as he called it, essentially yelling the song into an acoustic recording horn, did not work in the electrical era, and he had to learn to soften his voice.
K-K-K-Katy
performed by Billy Murray (Recorded in 1918)
You're a Grand Old Flag
Performed by Billy Murray (Recorded in 1906)
Are You from Dixie ('Cause I'm from Dixie Too)
performed by Billy Murray (Recorded in 1916)
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Though his singing style was less in demand, he continued to find recording work. By the late 1920s and early 1930s, the music from his early days was considered nostalgic (the modern term would be "oldies") and Murray was in demand again. He did voices for animated cartoons, especially the popular "follow the bouncing ball" sing-along cartoons and the Fleischer Studios character Bimbo.[4] He also did radio work.[5] In 1929, Murray and Walter Scanlon provided the voices for the Fleischer short animation film Finding His Voice, produced by Western Electric.

Murray made his last recordings for Beacon Records on February 11, 1943 with Jewish dialect comedian Monroe Silver. He retired the next year to Freeport, Long Island, New York, because of heart problems. He died at nearby Jones Beach of a heart attack in 1954 at the age of 77. Murray had married three times, the first two ending in divorce. He was survived by his third wife, Madeleine, and is buried in the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury, New York.[3]

Partial song discography

*"You'd Be Surprised", on OkeH, 1919
"Oh! By Jingo", on Lyric, 1919

This list is confined primarily to songs which have Wikipedia articles:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Billy Murray". Allmusic. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
  2. ↑ US Census, 1880, 24th Ward, District 21, Philadelphia, PA
  3. 1 2 3 "Billy Murray: A Biography". The Official Website of Billy Murray (1877-1954). Phonostalgia. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
  4. ↑ "The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia: 1930". The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2011-04-24.
  5. ↑ Barna, Ryan. "BILLY MURRAY'S RADIO PROGRAMS: Walter Scanlon and Marcella Shields". The Official Website of Billy Murray (1877-1954). Phonostalgia. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
  6. ↑ "BILLY MURRAY DISCOGRAPHY: Victor Records (1903-1913)". THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF BILLY MURRAY (1877-1954). Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  7. ↑ "The Little Ford Rambled Right Along". Model T Music & Lyrics. fordmodelt.net.

External links

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