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Dick McDonough

Richard Tobin McDonough (July 30, 1904 – May 25, 1938) was an American jazz guitarist and banjoist. Perhaps best remembered for his duets with fellow guitarist Carl Kress, McDonough appeared on numerous record sessions and radio broadcasts throughout the 1920s and 1930s.

McDonough began playing banjo and mandolin in high school. An athlete, he initially played left-handed because, according to McDonough, that was how he held his hockey stick. At Georgetown University, he performed professionally at weekend dances and two years later started a band. He attended Columbia Law School after college and while there played with bands in New York City. McDonough played with Red Nichols in 1927 as a banjoist, and soon after played with Paul Whiteman. He began studying the guitar and eventually was in demand for session work, recording with The Dorsey Brothers, Red Nichols, and Miff Mole. In the 1930s, he performed in a duo with jazz guitarist Carl Kress and cut several sessions with an orchestra under his own name, in addition to backing many other recording artists.

Other credits include session work with Mildred Bailey, Smith Ballew, The Boswell Sisters, Rube Bloom, Chick Bullock, The Charleston Chasers, Cliff Edwards, Gene Gifford, Benny Goodman, Adelaide Hall, Annette Hanshaw, Billie Holiday, Baby Rose Marie, Glenn Miller, Irving Mills, Red McKenzie, Johnny Mercer, Red Norvo, Fred Rich, Adrian Rollini, Pee Wee Russell, Ben Selvin, Artie Shaw, Frank Signorelli, Jack Teagarden, Claude Thornhill, Frankie Trumbauer, Joe Venuti, Don Voorhees, and Ethel Waters. He played in the Jam Session at Victor with Fats Waller, Bunny Berigan, and George Wettling.

McDonough struggled with alcohol abuse during his adult life and died, aged 34, of pneumonia in May 1938 at the LeRoy Sanitarium after an operation. He was survived by his widow, Dorothy Wiggman.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 30, 1904 (New York City), Died May 25, 1938 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1955

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, banjo, songwriter, leader

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 103 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-011088 10-in. 7/9/1937 So rare Jimmy Ray Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-011089 10-in. 7/9/1937 You're my desire Jimmy Ray Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W150730 10-in. 8/25/1930 I like a little girl like that Sunshine Boys Male vocal duet, with cornet and guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W150731 10-in. 8/25/1930 It seems to be spring Sunshine Boys Male vocal duet, with cornet and guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W152568 10-in. 11/27/1933 Your mother's son-in-law Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Billie Holiday ; Buck Washington Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W152575 10-in. 12/4/1933 Riffin' the Scotch Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Columbia W152650 10-in. 12/18/1933 Riffin' the scotch Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W265146 10-in. 10/2/1933 Sweet Lorraine Joe Venuti's Blue Six instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W265147 10-in. 10/2/1933 Doin' the uptown lowdown Joe Venuti's Blue Six instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W265148 10-in. 10/2/1933 Jazz me blues Joe Venuti's Blue Six instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W265149 10-in. 10/2/1933 In de ruff Joe Venuti's Blue Six instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W80338 10-in. 1/26/1927 Alexander's ragtime band Miff Mole's Molers Jazz/dance quintet instrumentalist, guitar, banjo  
OKeh W80339 10-in. 1/26/1927 Some sweet day Miff Mole's Molers Jazz/dance quintet instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W80340 10-in. 1/26/1927 Hurricane Miff Mole's Molers Jazz/dance quartet instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W80501 10-in. 3/7/1927 Davenport blues Miff Mole's Molers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W80502 10-in. 3/7/1927 Darktown Strutters' Ball Miff Mole's Molers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W80503 10-in. 3/7/1927 A hot time in the old town Miff Mole's Molers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81296 10-in. 8/30/1927 Imagination Little Molers ; Miff Mole Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
OKeh W81297 10-in. 8/30/1927 Feelin' no pain Little Molers ; Miff Mole Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
OKeh W81298 10-in. 8/30/1927 Original Dixieland one-step Little Molers ; Miff Mole Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
OKeh W81413 10-in. 9/1/1927 My gal Sal Little Molers ; Miff Mole Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
OKeh W81414 10-in. 9/1/1927 Honolulu blues Little Molers ; Miff Mole Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
OKeh W81415 10-in. 9/1/1927 The new twister Little Molers ; Miff Mole Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
OKeh W401711 10-in. 3/13/1929 Broadway Rose Dick McDonough Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
OKeh W403227 10-in. 11/4/1929 Same old moon (Same old June, but not the same old you) Virginia Willrich and her Texas Rangers Jazz/dance quintet instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 26-50 of 103 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "McDonough, Dick," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103520.

McDonough, Dick. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103520.

"McDonough, Dick." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103520

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