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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 401-425 of 720 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh 80131 10-in. 9/22/1926 By the side of the Omelette Sea Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh 80138 10-in. 9/24/1926 Tuck in Kentucky and smile The Goofus Five ; Billy Jones Jazz/dance ensemble, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh 80186 10-in. 10/21/1926 Looking at the world through rose-colored glasses Sam Lanin ; Melody Sheiks Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh 80187 10-in. 10/21/1926 Here comes Fatima! (With her ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay) Sam Lanin ; Melody Sheiks Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80199 10-in. 11/5/1926 Hello, bluebird Markel's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80200 10-in. 11/5/1926 I love the moonlight Markel's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80202 10-in. 11/8/1926 If my baby cooks (As good as she looks) The Happiness Boys ; Dave Kaplan Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80203 10-in. 11/8/1926 Short an' sweet The Happiness Boys ; Dave Kaplan Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80217 10-in. 11/18/1926 Do-do-do Hotel Sylvania Orchestra of Philadelphia ; Vincent Rizzo Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80218 10-in. 11/18/1926 Clap yo' hands Hotel Sylvania Orchestra of Philadelphia ; Vincent Rizzo Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80232 10-in. 12/1/1926 Elsie Shultz-en-heim Billy Jones ; Dave Kaplan Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80233 10-in. 12/1/1926 I found a million dollar baby (In a five and ten cent store) Billy Jones ; Dave Kaplan Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80398 10-in. 2/7/1927 The coat and pants do all the work (And the vest gets all the gravy) The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80399 10-in. 2/7/1927 I loved the college girls The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80438 10-in. 2/17/1927 I've never seen a straight banana The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80439 10-in. 2/17/1927 That's my hap-hap-happiness The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80507 10-in. 3/8/1927 Old timers medley waltz Bar Harbor Society Orchestra ; The Happiness Boys Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W80508 10-in. 3/8/1927 Old timers medley waltz Bar Harbor Society Orchestra ; The Happiness Boys Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W81969 10-in. 12/28/1927 Poor Lizzie The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W81970 10-in. 12/28/1927 I scream—you scream—we all scream for ice cream The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh [OK cat 4347-A] 10-in. approximately 1921 Oh they're such nice people Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh [OK cat 4860-A] 10-in. approximately Apr.-May 1923 Little Rover Billy Jones Male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh [OK cat 4870-A] 10-in. approximately May 1923 South Sea eyes Billy Jones Male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh [OK cat 40600-b] 10-in. Jan.-Jun. 1926 The village blacksmith owns the village now The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh [OK cat 40600-A] 10-in. Jan.-Jun. 1926 Wimmin aaah! The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet vocalist, tenor vocal  
(Results 401-425 of 720 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Jones, Billy," accessed May 4, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109631.

Jones, Billy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 4, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109631.

"Jones, Billy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 4 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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