Billy Murray (25 May 1877 - 17 August 1954) was one of the most popular sin… Read Full Bio ↴Billy Murray (25 May 1877 - 17 August 1954) was one of the most popular singers in the United States in the early decades of the 20th century. While he received star billings on Vaudeville, he was best known for his prolific work in the recording studio, making records for almost every record label of the era. He was probably the best selling recording artist of the first quarter of the 20th century.
He was born as William Thomas Murray in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of immigrants from Ireland. He became fascinated with the theater and joined a traveling vaudeville troupe in 1893. He also performed in minstrel shows early in his career. He made his first recordings for a local phonograph cylinder company in San Francisco, California in 1897. He started recording regularly in the New York City and New Jersey area in 1903, when the nation's major record companies as well as the Tin Pan Alley music industry were concentrated there.
In 1906 he waxed the first of his popular duets with Ada Jones. He also performed with Aileen Stanley, the Haydn Quartet, the Premier Quartet, and the American Quartet (the latter two actually being the same group), in addition to his solo work.
He 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.
While he often performed romantic numbers and ballads which sold well at the time, his comedy and novelty song recordings continue to be popular with later generations of record collectors.
Murray's popularity faded with changes in public taste and recording technology; the rise of the electric microphone in the mid 1920s coincided with the rise of the crooners. His "hammering" style, as he called it, essentially yelling the song into the recording horn, did not work in the electronic era, and it took him some time to learn how to soften his voice. While he continued to work, his singing style was considered "dated" and less in demand. In the late 1920s and early 1930s he also did voices for animated cartoons, especially the "follow the bouncing ball" type which incorporated songs from his salad days. He also did radio work.
Murray made his last recordings in 1943 and retired to Freeport, Long Island, New York in 1944. He died in nearby Jones Beach.
He was born as William Thomas Murray in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of immigrants from Ireland. He became fascinated with the theater and joined a traveling vaudeville troupe in 1893. He also performed in minstrel shows early in his career. He made his first recordings for a local phonograph cylinder company in San Francisco, California in 1897. He started recording regularly in the New York City and New Jersey area in 1903, when the nation's major record companies as well as the Tin Pan Alley music industry were concentrated there.
In 1906 he waxed the first of his popular duets with Ada Jones. He also performed with Aileen Stanley, the Haydn Quartet, the Premier Quartet, and the American Quartet (the latter two actually being the same group), in addition to his solo work.
He 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.
While he often performed romantic numbers and ballads which sold well at the time, his comedy and novelty song recordings continue to be popular with later generations of record collectors.
Murray's popularity faded with changes in public taste and recording technology; the rise of the electric microphone in the mid 1920s coincided with the rise of the crooners. His "hammering" style, as he called it, essentially yelling the song into the recording horn, did not work in the electronic era, and it took him some time to learn how to soften his voice. While he continued to work, his singing style was considered "dated" and less in demand. In the late 1920s and early 1930s he also did voices for animated cartoons, especially the "follow the bouncing ball" type which incorporated songs from his salad days. He also did radio work.
Murray made his last recordings in 1943 and retired to Freeport, Long Island, New York in 1944. He died in nearby Jones Beach.
Popeye the Sailor Man
Billy Murray Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Popeye the Sailor Man' by these artists:
Billy Costello I'm on the outside looking in An' I wanna be, an'…
Bobby & The Consoles In a pub Britanny I had me a drink or…
Friedman Kinky (kinky friedman & panama red) My heart is on my sleeve, Do…
Kinky Friedman (kinky friedman & panama red) My heart is on my sleeve, Do…
Kinky Friedman gelesen von Wiglaf Droste (kinky friedman & panama red) My heart is on my sleeve, Do…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Billy Murray:
Alexander's ragtime band Oh ma honey, oh ma honey, Better hurry and let's meander. …
By The Light Of The Silvery Moon Place, park, scene, dark Silvery moon is shining through the…
Don't Bring Lulu Your presence is requested, wrote little Johnny White, But w…
Grand Old Rag There's a feeling comes a-stealing, And it sets my brain…
I Love A Piano As a child I went wild When a band played How I ran To…
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now? You have loved lots of girls in the sweet long…
I'Ll See You In C VERSE ONE: Not So Far From Here There's a very lively atmosp…
I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover I'm looking over a four-leaf clover I overlooked before On…
I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover I'm looking over a four leaf clover That I overlooked before…
In My Merry Oldsmobile Young Johnny Steele has an Oldsmobile He loves his dear litt…
I`ll See You In C-U-B-A VERSE ONE: Not So Far From Here There's a very lively atmosp…
K-K-K-Katy (Stammering Song) Jimmy was a soldier brave and bold, Katy was a maid…
Oh You Beautiful Doll Honey dear, want you near, Just turn out the lights and…
Pretty Baby You ask me why I'm always teasing you. You hate to…
Stumbling 'Tention folks, speak of jokes This is one on me Took my…
That Old Gang of Mine I've got a longing way down in my heart For that…
The Cubanola Glide Way down in Cuba where skies are clear Where it is…
The Further It Is From Tipperary The tommies in the trenches seem to have one favorite…
The Grand Old Rag There's a feeling comes a-stealing, And it sets my brain a-…
The Yankee Doodle Boy I'm the kid that's all the candy, I'm a Yankee Doodle…
They Were All Out of Step But Jim Jimmy's mother went to see her son Marching along on parade …
You're A Grand Old Flag You're a grand old flag, You're a high flying flag And forev…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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MikeBlitzMag
Billy Murray was arguably the greatest and most impacting solo artist of the first half of the 20th century (not to mention his work with the Heidelberg Quintet and other groups). He is long, long, long overdue for a massive, comprehensive box set. Of course given that his recorded legacy is comprised of thousands of tracks, that would be a challenge. But count me in if and when some ambitious label feels up to the task!
pgh45rpms
Billy started his recording career in 1903 that spanned 45 years. Variety states Mr. Murray recorded from 6,000 to as many as 10,000 songs under various names. Several Murray recordings are available now on CD, listed on eBay.
Aileen
pgh45rpms He did 2-3 songs in duets so early as 1897,but they not exist today.
MikeBlitzMag
@Aileen I have pretty much all of the available ones (Archeophone, Living Era, etc.). Considering how vast his catalog is, it would be nice if they or some other label stepped forward and continued the reissue series. There has been much discussion about the recordings dating back to 1897. Surely somewhere copies of them must have survived that just have not surfaced yet! Hope springs eternal.
Aileen
Billy Murray solded about 300 million records.
James Irwin
@pgh45rpms, I figured it was somewhere around there, probably one of they very few who could hold up his own against those 1890s artists. For reference George J. Gaskin recorded 25,000 records between 1891-1904, but a lot of those recordings were the same song over and over again due to the very limited technology; and George W. Johnson did between 15-20,000 in the same length of time due to the same causation. They were the two biggest artists of that decade with Arthur Collins, Byron Harlan, and Steve Porter amongst many other names did not quite officially start their careers until after Berliner sold to Eldridge in 1900. Which also makes Billy unique because even though around those men he was considered a boy he still started before most of them, except Collins, Collins was close to Gaskin’s fame in his day!
barry Delisle
Great song even 100 years ago still going strong
Aileen
barry Delisle This song is from 1931 so not 100 years only 89 years
Bobby Roy
This is super AWESOME! I Knew That there was a Hot 1931 version of this song I heard when I was a child! But until now I could not find it! I LOVE IT!
Aileen
Bobby Roy This song is really hot. Music from the 1930s is hotter than today’s noise music