Tell Taylor

William "Tell" Taylor (aka Tellie Tell Roberts;(October 28, 1876 – November 23, 1937). Tell was born October 28, 1876 to Clarinda Jane Roberts (1854-1930) and John Asbury Taylor (1853-1928), on a farm near the Village of Vanlue, Amanda Township, Hancock County, Ohio. He was an American traveling vaudeville performer, tenor vocalist, playwright, music publisher, composer, and lyricist who had written over 200 popular songs. His biggest hit was "Down by the Old Mill Stream" from 1910, one of the most commercially successful Tin Pan Alley publications of the era. The song was published by Tell Taylor, Inc., which he had co-founded in 1907. Taylor performed vaudeville theaters and founded a Chicago music publishing house bearing his name. His other notable songs include "He Sleeps Beneath the Soil of France," "I Love You Best of All," "If Dreams Come True," "Little Old Home in the Valley," "Rock Me to Sleep in the Old Rocking Chair," "Some Day," and "When the Maple Leaves Were Falling." Taylor also wrote the Broadway comedies Tiger Lillee and In New York Town.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 14, 1876 (Vanlue), Died November 24, 1937 (Chicago)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1905 - 1948

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 30 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-11030 10-in. 9/28/1911 Down by the old mill stream Orpheus Quartet Male vocal quartet composer, lyricist  
Victor B-11074 10-in. 10/10/1911 Down by the old mill stream Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Victor B-14401 10-in. 1/29/1914 When the maple leaves were falling Edna Brown ; James F. Harrison Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-17345 10-in. 3/21/1916 I love you best of all Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with flute and orchestra composer, lyricist  
Victor B-18562 10-in. 10/18/1916 When that little yellow fellow play piano (Hannah plays banjo) Collins and Harlan Male vocal duet, with banjo, piano, and orchestra lyricist  
Victor BVE-38168 10-in. 3/14/1927 Rock me to sleep in an old rocking chair Elliott Shaw Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-43386 10-in. 3/21/1928 Down by the old mill stream National Cavaliers Male vocal quartet, with piano composer, lyricist  
Victor LBRC-71762 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 7/1/1932 Missouri waltz Buddy Clark ; Gus Arnheim Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-75482 10-in. 4/27/1933 Rock me to sleep in an old rocking chair Judy Rogers Female vocal solo, with piano composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-014615 10-in. 10/4/1937 Down by the old mill stream The Old Timer's Orchestra ; Jimmy Ray Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-019860 10-in. 2/23/1938 Down by the old mill stream Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor PBS-042553 10-in. 3/7/1940 Down by the old mill stream Kenny Baker ; David Broekman Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-046869 10-in. 2/9/1940 Down by the old mill stream Golden Memory Boys Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BS-053102 10-in. 5/20/1940 Down by the old mill stream Capitol City Four Male vocal quartet, with organ composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-067788 10-in. 9/11/1941 I love you best of all Ruth Gaylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer  
Victor D7FB-1738 10-in. 10/15/1947 Down by the old mill stream Henri René Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia 3096 10-in. between January and April 1905 Tommy (tell me true) Arthur Collins Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 3710 10-in. between January and October 1907 Peerless MInstrels Peerless Quartet ; Frank C. Stanley Minstrels and male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 19410 10-in. 6/15/1911 Down by the old mill stream Brunswick Quartette Male vocal quartet, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Columbia W140681 10-in. 6/16/1925 Down by the old mill stream Riley Puckett Male vocal solo, with guitar composer, lyricist  
Columbia W141065 10-in. 9/30/1925 Down by the old mill stream Riley Puckett Male vocal solo, with guitar composer, lyricist  
Columbia W144978 10-in. 11/14/1927 Rock me to sleep in an old rocking chair Mona Motor Oil Twins Male vocal duet, with guitar composer, lyricist  
Columbia C1121 10-in. 10/28/1935 Down by the old mill stream Sweet Violet Boys String band, with male group vocal composer, lyricist  
OKeh S-70614 10-in. ca. 4/10/1922 Down by the old mill stream Excelsior Quartette Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied composer, lyricist  
OKeh W80455 10-in. 2/21/1927 Rock me to sleep in an old rocking chair Ray-O-Vacs Male vocal duet, with piano composer, lyricist  
(Results 1-25 of 30 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Taylor, Tell," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107037.

Taylor, Tell. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107037.

"Taylor, Tell." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107037

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