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 26-50 of 364 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3511 | 10-in. | 7/17/1901 | Medley of plantation songs | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3512 | 10-in. | 7/17/1901 | Dancing on the old barn floor | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3513 | 10-in. | 7/17/1901 | A night trip to Buffalo | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]3513 | 7-in. | 10/26/1901 | A night trip to Buffalo | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3514 | 10-in. | 7/17/1901 | A Negro wedding in southern Georgia | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3515 | 10-in. | 7/17/1901 | Darling Nellie Gray | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3516 | 10-in. | 7/17/1901 | Louisiana Lou | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3517 | 10-in. | 7/17/1901 | Goodbye Dollie Gray | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]3518 | 7-in. | 10/26/1901 | Sidewalks of New York | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3518 | 10-in. | 7/17/1901 | Sidewalks of New York | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3519 | 10-in. | 7/17/1901 | The battle of Santiago | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3519 | 10-in. | 3/18/1902 | The battle of Santiago | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]3520 | 10-in. | 7/17/1901 | Nationality medley | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-6832 | 10-in. | 2/25/1909 | Denver town | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-6836 | 10-in. | 2/25/1909 | Golden arrow | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-6971 | 10-in. | 4/7/1909 | Goodnight moonlight | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-6972 | 10-in. | 4/7/1909 | Golden arrow | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-8170 | 10-in. | 8/24/1909 | Swanee babe | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-8171 | 10-in. | 8/24/1909 | Little Willie | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-8309 | 10-in. | 10/21/1909 | Wedding bells | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-8582 | 10-in. | 1/31/1910 | Medley of Negro songs | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-8583 | 10-in. | 1/31/1910 | She gave them all to me | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-8685 | 10-in. | 3/9/1910 | He's a college boy | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-8686 | 10-in. | 3/9/1910 | Casey Jones | American Quartet ; Billy Murray | Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "American Quartet," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106552.
American Quartet. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106552.
"American Quartet." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 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
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
Feedback
Send the Editors a message about this record.