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 101-125 of 364 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | B-11047 | 10-in. | 10/2/1911 | Oh, you beautiful doll | American Quartet ; Billy Murray | Male vocal quartet and vocal solo, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11106 | 10-in. | 10/16/1911 | Oh, that Navajo rag | American Quartet ; Billy Murray | Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11190 | 10-in. | 11/6/1911 | Another rag | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11193 | 10-in. | 11/6/1911 | The harbor of love | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11328 | 10-in. | 12/5/1911 | Marry a Yiddish boy | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11329 | 10-in. | 12/5/1911 | Paddy Duffy's cart | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11330 | 10-in. | 12/5/1911 | That hypnotizing man | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11380 | 10-in. | 12/15/1911 | Ragtime violin | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11381 | 10-in. | 12/15/1911 | Moonlight Bay | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11448 | 10-in. | 1/11/1912 | The skeleton rag | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11449 | 10-in. | 1/11/1912 | Goodnight Mr. Moon | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11595 | 10-in. | 2/15/1912 | When I was twenty-one and you were sweet sixteen | American Quartet ; Harry Macdonough | Male vocal quartet and male vocal soloist, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11596 | 10-in. | 2/15/1912 | That Coontown quartette | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11597 | 10-in. | 2/15/1912 | Pucker up your lips, Miss Lindy | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11598 | 10-in. | 2/15/1912 | That college rag | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11599 | 10-in. | 2/15/1912 | Here's to the friend in stormy weather | American Quartet ; Harry Macdonough | Male vocal quartet and male vocal soloist, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11650 | 10-in. | 3/1/1912 | I want a little lovin' sometimes | American Quartet ; Elsie Baker | Female vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11651 | 10-in. | 3/1/1912 | I would like to try it, but I'm just a bit afraid | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11652 | 10-in. | 3/1/1912 | They gotta quit kickin' my dawg aroun' | American Quartet ; Byron G. Harlan | Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11713 | 10-in. | 3/13/1912 | Mary was my mother's name | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11714 | 10-in. | 3/13/1912 | There is silver now, where once was gold | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11793 | 10-in. | 3/26/1912 | Please don't take my lovin' man away | Edna Brown | Female vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11794 | 10-in. | 3/26/1912 | Texas Tommy swing | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11795 | 10-in. | 3/26/1912 | Creatore | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group | |
| Victor | B-11901 | 10-in. | 4/22/1912 | That slippery slide trombone | American Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | Vocal group |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "American Quartet," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106552.
American Quartet. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106552.
"American Quartet." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 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
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