Roy Turk
Roy Kenneth Turk (September 20, 1892 – November 30, 1934) was an American songwriter and lyricist, he frequently collaborated with composer Fred E. Ahlert – their popular 1929 song "Mean to Me" has become a jazz standard. In 1926 collaborated with Lou Handman on his best known song the 1927 hit song Are You Lonesome Tonight? made famous by acts like Elvis Presley. He worked with many other composers, including for film lyrics. Turk was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. |
Birth and Death Data: Born New York City, Died November 30, 1934 (Hollywood)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1919 - 1950
Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter, composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 376-400 of 420 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick | 1531W-1533W | 10-in. | 10/23/1925 | Sweet man | Peggy English | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Brunswick | TC969-TC970 | 10-in. | 6/25/1926 | Whadda you say we get together? | Macy and Smalle | Male vocal duet, with piano | lyricist, composer | |
| Brunswick | [Br (U.K.) July 1928] | 10-in. | July 1928 | After my laughter came tears | Fred Elizalde Music | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
| Brunswick | DAL534 | 10-in. | 5/14/1938 | Blue hours | Light Crust Doughboys | String band | lyricist | |
| Brunswick | B21119 | 10-in. | 5/11/1937 | I'll get by | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
| Brunswick | B21120 | 10-in. | 5/11/1937 | Mean to me | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | lyricist | |
| Brunswick | [Br (U.K.) cat 141-b] | 10-in. | approximately Oct. 1927 | There’s a rickety rackety shack | Harry Shalson | Male vocal solo, with piano | songwriter | |
| Brunswick | [Br cat 2796-B] | 10-in. | 9/11/1924 | Something tells me that one is you | Abe Lyman’s California Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | songwriter | |
| Edison | 1584 | 10-in. | 9/29/1922 | To-morrow | Ernest L. Stevens Trio | Instrumental trio | songwriter | |
| Edison | 7244 | 10-in. | 3/25/1920 | Oh! How I laugh when I think how I cried about you | Rachael Grant ; Billy Murray | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Edison | 8479 | 10-in. | 6/6/1922 | Just because you're you, that's why I love you | Atlantic Dance Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | songwriter | |
| Edison | 8982 | 10-in. | 5/16/1923 | Aggravatin' papa (Don't you try to two-time me) | Broadway Dance Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | songwriter | |
| Edison | 9047 | 10-in. | 6/26/1923 | My sweetie went away (He didn't say where, when or why) | Anna Chandler | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Edison | 9667 | 10-in. | 8/7/1924 | Morning (Won't you ever come 'round) | George Wilton Ballard ; Kaplan's Melodists | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | lyricist | |
| Edison | 10513 | 10-in. | 7/23/1925 | I'm gonna Charleston back to Charleston | Million Dollar Pier Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | songwriter | |
| Edison | 10832 | 10-in. | 2/16/1926 | "Gimme" a little kiss, will "ya"? Huh? | John Ryan | Male vocal solo, with piano | lyricist | |
| Edison | 11012 | 10-in. | 5/28/1926 | I wonder what's become of Joe? | The Frolickers | Male vocal trio, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Edison | 11065 | 10-in. | 6/23/1926 | Whadda you say we get together? | Macy and Smalle | Male vocal duet, with orchestra | lyricist, composer | |
| Edison | 11075 | 10-in. | 6/28/1926 | Hoodle-dee-doo-dee-doodoo | Johnny Marvin | Male vocal solo | songwriter | |
| Edison | 11163 | 10-in. | 8/11/1926 | Someone is losin' Susan | John F. Burckhardt ; Ponce Sisters | Female vocal duet, with piano | lyricist | |
| Edison | 11709 | 10-in. | 5/19/1927 | Just another day wasted away (Waiting for you) | Charles Harrison | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | songwriter | |
| Edison | 11734 | 10-in. | 6/13/1927 | Are you lonesome to-night? | Vaughn De Leath ; Bill Regis | Female vocal solo, with piano | lyricist | |
| Edison | 18064 | 10-in. | 11/28/1927 | Nothin' | Will Donaldson ; J. Donald Parker | Male vocal duet, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Edison | 18320 | 10-in. | 3/21/1928 | After my laughter came tears | Vaughn De Leath | Female vocal solo, with piano | songwriter | |
| Edison | 18409 | 10-in. | 4/16/1928 | After my laughter came tears | Vaughn De Leath | Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano | lyricist, composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Turk, Roy," accessed December 11, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108801.
Turk, Roy. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 11, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108801.
"Turk, Roy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 11 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Turk, Roy, 1892-1934 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no89009291
Wikidata: Roy Turk - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q984231
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/27332876
MusicBrainz: Roy Turk - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/30305a68-ba45-42b6-8f25-f0917b4fc06d
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