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Billy Jones

William Reese Jones (March 15, 1889 – November 23, 1940) was a tenor who recorded during the 1920s and 1930s, finding fame as a radio star on The Happiness Boys radio program.

Jones worked in such occupations as mining, banking, and blacksmithing before his 1918 recording debut. He recorded with the Cleartone Four, the Crescent Trio, the Harmonizers Quartet and the Premier Quartet, and he performed under a variety of names (Harry Blake, Billy Clarke, Lester George, Duncan Jones, Reese Jones, John Kelley, Dennis O'Malley, William Rees, Victor Roberts, Billy West, William West, and Carlton Williams).

After he met Ernie Hare in 1919, they teamed in 1920 when Brunswick executive Gus Haenschen had them sing an accompaniment on a Brunswick Records recording. They went on to do numerous recordings together for Brunswick, Edison, and other companies.

They began on radio October 18, 1921 on WJZ (Newark, New Jersey). Sponsored by the chain of Happiness Candy stores, they were heard on The Happiness Boys program beginning August 22, 1923 on New York's WEAF, moving to NBC from a run from 1926 to 1929. As "The Happiness Boys", they sang popular tunes, mostly light fare and comic songs, and they joked with one another between numbers.

By 1928, they were the highest paid singers in radio, earning $1,250 a week. The partnership ended with Hare's death on March 9, 1939. Jones continued to perform, teaming with Hare's 16-year-old daughter, Marilyn Hare, in 1939-40. He died November 23, 1940, in Manhattan, of a heart attack, and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York City.

Among Jones' hits was "The grass is always greener in the other fellow's yard" which became the theme song of the "Big Brother Bob Emery " a children's program, first on radio, then on TV in both New York and Boston in the 1940s and 1950s.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 15, 1889 (New York City), Died November 23, 1940 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1916 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal, speaker, author, saxophone, tenor saxophone, songwriter, vocalist, lyricist

Notes: Also recorded under the name Victor Roberts.

See Also: Roberts, Victor

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

Recordings (Results 351-375 of 720 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh S-72900 10-in. Oct. 1924 Cold, cold mammas (Burn me up) Hotel Pennsylvania Orchestra ; Billy Jones ; Vincent Lopez Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-72921 10-in. October 1924 How do you do Billy Jones ; Harry Reser Male vocal solo, with ukulele vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73000 10-in. 11/26/1924 I don't want to get married (I'm having too much fun) Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73002 10-in. 11/26/1924 Gotta getta girl The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73020 10-in. 12/16/1924 Oh Mabel The Goofus Five ; Billy Jones Jazz/dance ensemble, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73021 10-in. 12/16/1924 I ain't got nobody to love The Goofus Five ; Billy Jones Jazz/dance ensemble, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73095 10-in. Jan. 1925 He sure can play a harmonica (It's the second best thing that he does) Billy Jones ; Ben Kassover ; Harry Reser Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73096 10-in. Jan. 1925 On my ukulele (Tra-la-la-la-la) Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones ; Harry Reser Male vocal duet, with ukulele vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73111 10-in. 1/18/1925 My gal don't love me anymore Billy Jones ; Okeh Syncopators ; Harry Reser Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73130 10-in. Jan. 1925 Of all my wife's relations I love myself the best Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73223 10-in. 3/11/1925 I'll take her back if she wants to come back Billy Jones ; Tickle Toe Ten Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73286 10-in. 4/2/1925 Who takes care of the caretaker's daughter Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73287 10-in. 4/2/1925 As a porcupine pines for its pork (That's how I pine for you) The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73288 10-in. 4/2/1925 Don't bring Lulu The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with jazz/dance band vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73427 10-in. June 1925 We're gonna have weather (Whether or not) The Bow-Wows ; The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73428 10-in. June 1925 Christofo Columbo (Thought the world was roundo) The Bow-Wows ; The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73489 10-in. June 1925 Just a little drink Tickle Toe Ten Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73494 10-in. 7/2/1925 Row, row, Rosie! Arkansaw Travellers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73496 10-in. July 1925 There ain't no flies on Auntie The Bow-Wows ; The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73497 10-in. July 1925 There's one born ev'ry minute The Bow-Wows ; The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh S-73498 10-in. July 1925 Row! Row! Rosie The Bow-Wows ; Billy Jones ; Joe Ross ; Joe Samuels Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh 73530 10-in. Aug. 1925 Sonya (Yup, alay yup) Billy Jones ; Okeh Syncopators Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh 73531 10-in. Aug. 1925 I miss my Swiss Billy Jones ; Okeh Syncopators Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh 73532 10-in. Aug. 1925 Alone at last Billy Jones Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh 73612 10-in. 9/14/1925 Pardon me (ha-ha-ha-ha-ha) while I laugh The Bow-Wows ; The Happiness Boys ; Joe Samuels Male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, tenor vocal  
(Results 351-375 of 720 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Jones, Billy," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109631.

Jones, Billy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109631.

"Jones, Billy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109631

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