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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 576-600 of 720 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 8144 10-in. 7/26/1921 In the old town hall Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8203 10-in. 9/6/1921 When Frances dances with me Ada Jones ; Billy Jones Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8206 10-in. 9/6/1921 On a little side street Ada Jones ; Billy Jones Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8223 10-in. 9/22/1921 Ten little fingers and ten little toes (Down in Tennessee) Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8254 10-in. 10/17/1921 Dapper Dan Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8339 10-in. 1/12/1922 Operatic syncopation Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8346 10-in. 1/24/1922 A sleepy little village (Where the Dixie cotton grows) Billy Jones Male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8379 10-in. 3/10/1922 At the Irish jubilee Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8384 10-in. 3/15/1922 Atta baby Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8400 10-in. 3/31/1922 In the little red school house Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8438 10-in. 5/2/1922 Love her by radio Billy Jones Male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal, lyricist  
Edison 8448 10-in. 5/10/1922 When you and I were young Maggie blues Billy Jones Male vocal solo and mixed vocal ensemble, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8638 10-in. 10/18/1922 He loves it Billy Jones Male vocal solo and male vocal chorus vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8639 10-in. 10/18/1922 You tell her—I stutter Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8641 10-in. 10/20/1922 Christmas morning at Clancy's Billy Jones ; Steve Porter Comic scene speaker  
Edison 8672 10-in. 11/24/1922 I've had fifty-seven varieties of sweethearts Billy Jones Male vocal solo and male vocal chorus vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8681 10-in. 12/5/1922 Down by the old apple tree Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8808 10-in. 1/3/1923 Open your arms, my Alabamy Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8810 10-in. 1/5/1923 The sands of Sandy Hook Billy Jones Male vocal solo and male vocal chorus vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8826 10-in. 1/25/1923 Where the morning glories grow Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8830 10-in. 1/30/1923 The panic is on Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8877 10-in. 3/13/1923 Little Rover (Don't forget to come back home) Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8881 10-in. 3/16/1923 Counterfeit Bill (From Louisville) Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8923 10-in. 4/13/1923 Barney Google Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 8928 10-in. 4/17/1923 Don't we carry on! Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
(Results 576-600 of 720 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Jones, Billy," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109631.

Jones, Billy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109631.

"Jones, Billy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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